Dangerously Close

The Chase

Katy sat in the passenger seat trying to make sense of everything going on. Hazel didn't have a bad bone in her body, so why would she try and shoot someone? She always joked about it but so did Katy!
"Scarlette and James have been seeing each other." Harkin's words made Katy freeze. What am I meant to say about it? What if I'm taking too long to reply to him.
"Katy, are you ok?" Harkin kept looking back and forth from Katy to the road.
She swallowed back the lump in her throat and tried her best to hold back the tears which wanted to pour out.
"No I'm not! You may be used to this shit but I'm not!" She kept her face towards the window, I don't want him seeing me cry again, she thought.
"I'm not use to this, 'shit' as you call it, I just want a quiet life myself Katy! But you should know aswell as me that's not possible." Harkin remained calm and didn't even shout he just replied to her with a simple tone in his voice.
"I just want to find Hazel please, how long until we're there?" It didn't make any sense to her how he could act so calm with everything going on.
"We're about 5minutes away." Katy remembered the one spot she use to run to with Hazel when things got to tough to handle.
"We're here." The trees looked a lot bigger than they were before and the grass was growing quite tall now. It had been years since they were last here but it's the only place Katy could think that Hazel would run to.
She stepped out the car and took in a deep breath, Harkin got out at his side and Katy ran to him.
"Stay here please, just let me get her." Harkin frowned then nodded his head. Katy waited for him to step back into the car before she walked into the forestry.

My heart wouldn't slow down, I know Hazel for years and she would never hurt me, I hope.
My hands are shaking and my lips won't stop trembling.
"Hazel! It's me.... Are you ok?" I just wanted to hear her voice but she wasn't responding. I was getting closer to our big thinking rock. There was a shuffling sound just in front of me. I stood still too scared to move forward.
"Katy?" A faint murmur came from the area the shuffling happened.
I ran towards it to see Hazel sitting on the rock, tears pouring down her face and her hands were shaking. The handgun was beside her and all I could think of doing is taking it far away from her.

Katy grabbed the gun from beside Hazel and stretched her arm back. Hazel jumped up and gave a confused look, "what are you doing?!" Katy threw the gun as far into the water as she could.
"You don't need that!" She replied and sat down on the rock.
"Katy throwing it away won't change what I've done! I'm a murderer!" Hazel screamed and cried even more.
"You're not! Scarlette is still alive it was just a graze and Harkin is dealing with the Gaurds so you won't get into trouble!" Hazel looked at Katy and then just dropped to her knees on the grass.
"But I shot her! I went to shoot Harkin because I thought he was seeing her again and I didn't want you to leave me again! You're the only family I have left Katy!" Katy bent down in front of Hazel and rubbed her hands over Hazel's shoulders.
"It's ok, I don't blame you for anything and I promise you if I ever leave I'll bring you with me. Like c'mon Haze! What am I meant to do without you kicking my ass for being a softy!" Hazel giggled and tried wiping her tears away.
"Now let's get you off this dirt and get you back home." Katy said standing up and lifting Hazel.
"Katy, where's Harkin now?"
Katy gave a concerned smile, "he's waiting in the car, he's worried about you too." Hazel shook her head and walked out of the forestry with Katy.

Harkin jumped out of the car when he seen the girls. "Are you both ok?" Katy nodded and guided Hazel to the back of the car. Hazel didn't open her mouth to say anything, instead she kept her head down staring at the floor of the car and twiddled her thumbs.

"Where's the gun?" Harkin grabbed Katy's arm before she could walk to her side of the car.
Katy looked at Hazel and then focused on Harkin. "I threw it in the water. She thought she killed her and it was just because of me!" Katy pulled her arm from his grip and climbed into the passenger side.
"Hazel, you're gonna have to stay with me for a few days, just so we can keep an eye on you." Hazel just nodded but kept her head down.
"No! If she's to stay with anyone she stays with me!" Katy declared giving Harkin an evil glare.
He shook his head and let out a slight chuckle. "You can stay aswell if you like but just to keep her out of trouble and to prove that it was an accident she's to live with me."
Katy turned quickly to face Hazel, she was still looking at the floor.
"Hazel say something please!" Katy pleaded.
Hazel raised her head and looked at Katy.
"I'm so sorry chicken wing, he's right though. I got to prove to the Gaurds at least." Katy turned around holding back the tears.
"I'm staying with her then." Harkin nodded and they didn't say a single word to each other for the rest of the journey.

"This will be your room." Harkin said opening the door to a large room with a king size bed in the middle of it. The room was decorated like it was a show house. Everything inside his house looked brand new and perfect.
Hazel walked in and smiled, "hey I think this room is bigger than my house." Katy chuckled and ran to her to give her a big hug.
"Call me if you need anything, please, you mean a lot to me Haze." Hazel nodded then went back to looking at her room.
The Gaurds had already brought her things from her house and left them in the room.
Katy and Harkin walked down the hallway and stopped at another door.
"This can be your room." He opened the door and the room was quite similar to Hazel's room.
"If there's anything you need, let me know, if you don't like the room I could always change them around aswell." Katy gave him a slight smile.
"I need to find out where she left my car, I need it to get my things."
"Oh, I'll find your car and I can get your things collected for you."
Katy frowned and folded her arms.
"Harkin!" He gave her a slight smile and moved out of the doorway.
"I know you're a big girl and you would like to let Tim know." She nodded at his smartness and walked passed, him back into the hallway.
"What if I give you a lift to get your things?" He said following her.
"And what about Hazel?"
"She'll be looked after, don't worry." Katy glanced down the hall in the direction of Hazel's room.
She agreed and carried on walking towards the front door.
James looked at her quickly then opened the front door.
"See you soon." He said as Katy and Harkin walked out the front door.

Harkin was on the phone to the Gaurds whilst Katy was explaining the situation to Tim. He wasn't happy with his daughter staying away from him during all this but she was only a 5minute drive from him.
"Make sure you have everything you need cupcake. And don't forget if it gets too rough you can always come back here." Katy smiled at Tim. He was always worrying about her.
"I know." She replied giving him a big hug. Katy tried her best to hold back her tears as Tim whispered in her ear, "I love you cupcake." Harkin had already taken her things into the car and was waiting by the front door.
"Look after my daughter." Tim said to Harkin as he shook his hand.

I sat in the passenger seat waving goodbye to Tim. My dad, my psychologist, my best friend, he was everything to me. I couldn't help but cry when he was out of sight. Harkin kept looking at me then back to the road, I know he's crap in these situations.
"You're not leaving him forever. You know you can go visit him whenever and still do everything you usually do." He smiled trying to comfort me. It didn't work, all I could think of was how hard it would be spending the next few days in his house with him.