Stalking Fear

Chapter 16

Connor falls to the ground unconscious. I'm hyperventilating, but not for long. The man in the doorway starts running towards me. I quickly grab the gun from Connor's hand and do the only thing I can in the spur of the moment; run. I head for the forest, carefully dodging the rocks and branches that surround me.

The only thing I can hear is my heavy breathing and fall of my feet on the ground. Each step from my left ankle results in pain. It takes everything I have to keep running on it, but I know I have to keep going. My breathing doesn't slow. Not for a long time. I can't believe I wasn't able to save Connor. I just left him there. First it was Brianna, then my parents, and now him? My pace slows to a stop, as I try to catch my breath. How could I be so selfish? I pull my hair up into a ponytail to cool me down, and find a rock to sit down on.

If Tyler wants to find me, then he can find me. I'm not letting this go on any longer. He's already killed everyone I love. He doesn't have anyone else to hurt, except me.

I prop my leg up onto the rock beside me to get a good look at my ankle. I haven't really had the chance to see the damage yet. And when I do, it looks terrible. Its larger than my fist; obviously swollen, and purple. If this is how is looks a few days after the incident, then how did it look when I first got it?

I can't walk on it anymore. Not after all of that running. The pain has become unbearable, and its not a good idea to make it worse. I hop on my good leg over to a tree and break a long, sturdy branch down from it. I can use this as a crutch. I hurriedly make my way back to the rock and wait.

Only seconds pass before I hear conversation of some men a few yards away. I quietly get up on my crutch and inch my way closer to the men.

I duck down behind a bush which conceals me enough to be removed from their sight. Finally their words come into focus,

"Well I don't know where the hell she went!" yells one man.

"You need to find her Justin. Who knows what will happen if we don't. Its ridiculous that we haven't caught her already," says the other man.

Who is this 'she' they are talking about. And why do they have to catch her? They can't possibly be talking about...me.

I hear another man walk towards them.

"God dammit Ryan! How could we not have found her yet?" says Tyler.

Tyler? What is he doing talking to these men. These men came here on the same helicopter that Connor did.

"Well Tyler, it was your responsibility to find her. This is the whole reason why we sent you here," says Ryan.