Haunt

Ch. 4- Necessary Precautions

Ten weeks later...

??? POV

I couldn't stand to hear her cry. The sound ripped through me, tearing my heart to shreds from the inside out. What was worse, was that I was the cause of it all. 

I watched as she ran away from me. The contorted look of extreme pain covering all of her delicate features. Her dark green eyes glossed over with a thousand tears yet to come. She ran from me like the monster that I was.

This time would be different. This time I wouldn't be able to fix things like I had previously. No. She wouldn't come back so easily.

But hearing her run away, sobbing, cut me to the deepest core. 

It's all I heard.

It's all I thought about.

It drowned out every other thought. And as I lay in bed, again engulfed by that one sound, my animalistic rage started rising.

She will come back to me. 

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Present

Lianna's POV

The  walk to the cabin is long. Nobody has been back here in decades. They were built when all the factions were first created. Since then, Amity has expanded in size and the cabins are no longer usable.

Until now, of course.

My arm hangs limp in Eric's grasp as we continue to walk. Off in the near distance, there is the faint glow of a porch lamp.

Mom and Dad are probably worrying about me, wondering where I could have possibly ran off to at such a late hour. I can already hear the lecture my father will give me once I make it back...if I make it back. 

Eric pulls me up on to the rotted wooden steps. They creak under his weight and I take another glance at him, measuring his size. He's astonishingly bulky for his age, I think Joanna said he was twenty. The amount of time and effort he puts into his look must be grooling.  

Once the door is open, he shoves me in. I almost fall but catch myself, finding a shaky balance. A switch is flipped on, shedding light on everything that was dark. A standard size living area lays out in front of me. Along the right side is a small kitchen with basic essentials. In the back right hand corner, there is a door, leading to a bedroom I would assume.

It is a small place. Too small for the man that stands next me.

Eric lingers next to me, watching me intensely.

"How old are you?" 

Slowly, his fingers slide away from my skin. From my elbow down to my fingers, there is no feeling, only a numbness. I immediately take a step back from him, hoping he doesn't follow.

He stands still, only analyzing my movements.

"Eighteen." I whisper, keeping my eyes glued to the floor. I'm starting to shake from nerves. I wrap my arms around myself trying to stop but it's useless, I'm too afraid now.

"And what gives you the right to come onto Dauntless territory?" His tone is authoritative, an old habit probably from being in a leadership position.

I take another step back. I don't want to answer him. All I can think of is getting back home.

I dig my fingers into the sides of my arms while chewing on the inside of my cheek.

If only I could escape him...

"I told you, I followed my friend." This time, I look up to him. He holds a blank expression.

He crosses his arms over his chest and I watch his movements, afraid he might come towards me any second.

"But I didn't find you with a friend, which makes me think that you're lying." He cocks an eyebrow at me, challenging me to say that he's wrong.

I'm becoming exasperated. 

"Well, that's what happened."

"Than where  is she?"

"I don't know!" I snap at him.

Eric takes a step in my direction, advancing quickly, giving me no time to move.

"Watch yourself." He warns. I shiver at his tone, grasping my arms more tightly.

He seems to be amused by how I'm pathetically trying to protect myself. A small smirk forms on his lips and he takes another step.

"My parents are probably worried about me." I say, hoping he'll take the bait and let me go.

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you came out here."

I look up at him watching as he intently stares down at me, not ever letting his gaze linger from my eyes. For a second, I almost think I see a soft smile peek through his smirk but it soon vanishes.

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry." I sound like a small child.

Eric sighs, deeply. He searches my face, looking for an answer that I'm obviously not giving him.

"Don't pull that innocent act shit on me. It wont' work." I jump at his harsh tone, wondering where it came from. He follows suit, his breath blowing down the front of my face. There is a heavy rise and fall of his chest as he lets his arms come down to his sides.

"I wasn't." I defend.

"Do you think for a second, that I give a fuck about some stupid Amity bitch? No. You've caused me more trouble than I already have!" He's yelling now.

Every time I take a step back, he steps with me.

"I didn't say you did." Now I'm just pleading, hoping he'll stop yelling. I've never witnessed someone so angry. My father never raised his voice in our house. It's a terrifying thing to witness.

The back of his right hand comes up, connecting with the side of my cheek. At first, I can't process what's just happened, all I know is that there is a stinging pain on one side of my face. Tears immediately start to pool in my eyes.

Eric breaths heavy in front of me, not once did his own actions phase him.

I wonder if he's hit other girls...

"Don't you fuckin speak." He growls, yanking my hand away from the cheek he just hit. He drags me to the back door that I saw when we first walked in.

With as much force possible, the throws me in the room. I land face first on the ground, a cracking sound filling the air. A searing  pain shoots through my left wrist. I can't sit up from the way I've fallen.

But I don't have to. Eric yanks me up off the floor and pulls me to the bed. I sit on the edge with him looming over me. I'm crying uncontrollably but silently, which I think is good because I don't want him to hear.

His eyes search my face like they had done only seconds ago and then they look to my wrist. His jaw goes ridged with a new anger.

"You're going to stay here, until I see fit to let you go. Until then, keep your fuckin mouth shut."

He walks out of the room without giving me a second glance. I lay back against the soft  bed sheets and turn my face into them, finally allowing myself to start sobbing.

I hope I didn't throw anyone off with the beginning. That's just a preview of something important that will happen in the future. Comment and Vote, my loves!