Red Riding Hood

Chapter Thirty Five

I don't remember falling asleep but I did. Waking up it was starting to get dark outside and I realised I must have slept the day away. Something hard was beside me and turning to look behind me Parker still laid beside me, the hardness under my head was his arm and I slowly sat up, feeling stiff from the awkward angle I had been in. He put his phone into his pocket and stood up, cracking his neck and stretching I realised how uncomfortable he must've been too.

"Feeling better?" he asked softly, looking at me concerned. I shrugged. I had to get over it; otherwise I'd just give up and wait for the end of this miserable life. James needed me. He needed someone who had unconditional love for him to help him through this world. Thinking about him made me frown deeper and Parker came around in front of me, pulling me against his chest.

"You do know you drool when you sleep right?" he teased as I finally pulled away. I shot him a look unimpressed and headed to the bathroom. "Just joking. You're adorable when you snore" He laughed heading into the lounge room as I turned on the shower. I felt better after I showered; the water had been kept cold to wake me up. I needed to focus. I had to get out of here. Finding Parker still eating I sat down opposite him. Catching my gaze his eyebrows went up, his dark eyes growing darker.

"You look like you mean business" He offered me some of the soup he had on the small wood fire stove but I shook my head not wanting any.

"If I can get out of here, will you stop me?" His eyes searched mine curiously and watching him I knew he was fighting his own internal battle. "I can't sit here waiting for whatever she is going do. Come with me. Finn had an escape for me before, we can all go" I was hoping the promise of staying together would help his decision.

"And then you'll back to him won't you?" he said it as more of a dare than anything else, I could hear the acidity to his words and I gulped not liking his change in attitude. He went back to the stovetop and took the pot off the heat, pouring the contents into a bowl.

"It won't matter. They will find us. They're witches. They can do that" he sighed shaking his head. "I have tried to get away and instead that bitch Eileen tracked me down in Canada. I don't regret killing Penelope but I do regret all that crap that follows me because of it. Don't go" He took the bowl and walked over to the sofa not saying another word.

I waited until he was asleep and got up. But I couldn't sit here any longer. I put my boots on at the door and crept out. The moon was high in the sky and the chill in the air felt refreshing rather than cold. I walked to the gate boundary and put my hands out. I could feel the energy of whatever it was in place blocking me in. I focused on the anger like I had earlier and sure enough the tingles seemed to move through my body as if they had a mind of its own. Sure enough I saw the sparkle from my palms and pressing my lips tight I glared at the air in front of me. Despite the clear night, a bolt of what looked light lightning shot down from nowhere, the impact as it stuck me sent me flying back against the house almost into the walls. It took me a few moments to get up; dazed and disorientated I started to run. And this time nothing stopped me.

Or so I thought. I had just reached the forest line and muscles I hadn't used a great deal lately were already burning, the growl that sounded from me behind me made me go faster. The snow-covered ground was like trying to run through sand and I felt like I was getting nowhere fast. The sounds of him entering the forest caused my heart to jump into my throat. He was going to catch me. I jumped over a fallen tree log and upon landing my leg gave way and I crashed down hard. A small scream escaped me as I fell, and I quickly scrambled to get up. But the fall had proved costly as looking behind me the black and white wolf leapt over the log and pinned me down. Memories of my dream from when he had killed Penelope flashed into my mind, besides the snow it was just like that. Would he loose control? Is this it? I thought of James and wasn't going to leave him alone. Stuck on my back as the wolf growled over the top of me I did the only thing I could think of. My good leg was brought up with as much force as I could muster and kicked him in the stomach. A slight yelp came from the creature as he stepped back, giving me enough space to get up. And I ran.