My Understandings [ON HOLD/EDITING]

My Understandings: Part 27

-Austin's P.O.V.-

This is it, this is where this is all going to end. I'm sick of all of this bullshit, I just want my friend back and safely. Is that too much to ask? I don't think it is but it seems to be a very difficult challenge, when it really shouldn't be.I know it seems like a long shot, but I really have hopes of beating the fuck out of all these guys and taking Edith somewhere safe. 

Alan and I zig-zag through trees as quickly as we can. It's hard to move silently in a forest with leaves cluttered all over the ground but we're trying our hardest to avoid making noise. Or at least I am. I shuffle through  two tall trees and pass by bushes as quietly as possible. Behind me I hear Alan scrape the tree with his arm, and brush by the bushes very loudly. Is he trying to get us killed?

I brush it off, and hope that it will soon disperse. I see the men running uphill and grunting.

I can't help but think that this could be a lot cause, I mean, no matter what Edith is going to get hurt. No matter what these men are going to beat the shit out of me at some point tonight. At some point tonight I will have to test myself, seeing if whether I can save my best friends life or if I will have to sit back and watch in pain.

I don't know what I'd do without her, even though it hasn't been that long, I felt some connection to her. It sounds weird and maybe a little crazy but that's also how life is. It's this weird attraction to her like she was meant for me. I wish I would have said something sooner, and not have waited so long.

I had known her for two years why did I wait so long?

"We can't let her get away this time!" A man shouts. the other grunt in agreement and trudge up the hill faster. I look up at the top of the hill to see a silhouette that warms me heart. Her long brown hair flips in the wind but her body trembles with fear. I feel sorry for her. She dashes over the hill and disappears from my view, my heartbeat increases even more. 

What if something happens to her and I'm not there to see it? I have to do whatever it takes to get to her. To let her know that she's going to be okay, that she's going to be safe. I hear sticks crack under the weight of Alan and I instantly snap.

"Dude!" I whisper angrily. "You need to be fucking quiet or else we're going to get killed!" I turn to see Alan's face turn to anger.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to help a friend, it's not like they can hear me anyway! All they can hear is themselves breathing because they're obviously out of shape." He whispers back at me. I sigh angrily and continue on up the hill.

Once we reach the top I follow the heavy footsteps and continue on. How long could these guys keep running? I thought. I brush pass a familiar patch of bushes and see a flower patch. The same flower patch in the forest behind Edith's house. We must have been running for a long time. The meat packing plant is a solid 2 miles from Edith's house.

 I turn the see Alan behind me, slugging his way along like he doesn't even care. Like this is a burden on him. I keep a steady pace in my running but direct my attention towards him.

"Do you even care about this? You look like it doesn't mean shit to you!" I whisper. Alan's expression turns from exhaustion to confusion. Why is he confused? I'm just pointing out the truth, that he probably doesn't care. He let go of her the second she friend-zoned him.

"Yes I care! Are you crazy? Edith's my best friend of course I care!" He whispers, a tinge of anger coats his words. I stop running and turn towards him. The amount of anger inside me bursts like a volcano.

"Stop lying! You don't give a shit about Edith! You could care less!" I whisper

"Dude fuck off!" He whispers back at me. He tries to brush passed me but I grab his arm. "What are you doing? We have to go!" He whispers

"Don't tell me to fuck off." I whisper, looking him dead in the eyes. I push him by his shoulders and he stumbles backward. I turn and run after the men, hoping I could catch up for lost time. My adrenaline is pumping and I sprint until I see the men in my view. 

As I carry on my conscious begins to attack me and I slow down my pace, waiting for my best friend to return to my side. I never knew I would ever get so mad at him, over a stupid reason too, I can't even really tell where all of that anger came from.

I never thought that I would hurt him like that, what if something happened to him after and I didn't see. I feel like a complete asshole...

I slow even more, hoping I would hear him shuffling behind me, but all that I could hear was silence. I shut my eyes and kept slowing.

"Alan? Come on we have to go!" I whisper, hoping, praying, for a response. Silence. I turn to see nothing but trees and bushes. No Alan to be seen anywhere and my heartbeat kicks back up again. Oh fuck! I think. 

What do I do? Do I run back and find Alan? He could easily just be angry and running a different way, or moping because of my doing. He could also have a man pointing a gun to his head at this very moment, and it would be all my fault....

Edith could also be dead right now... all because of you.

My brain attacks me and I groan angrily. Why do I always do this? Why do I always fuck everything up!? I turn in the direction of the men running and begin to run after them. Save Edith, then check for Alan. Save Edith, then check for Alan. I repeat to myself in my head.

What a great night, because of me I could have just killed both of my best friends. Go me.

[Authors Note]

Hey guys! I just want to thank you so much for getting this story as many reads as it has, I never expected it at all! So thank you! I would love to hear some more feedback from you guys! Or else I don't know if this is turning out good or horrible! 

Another thing, you should all go check out my other OM&M fan fic! It's on my profile and it's called When You Can't Sleep At Night. I plan to update that one more often too! I'm headed to my cabin next week so I will have some solitude to maybe write a couple of chapters to post when I get back :)

Thank you so much guys! I love all of you!

Helen