F E A R

chapter three, consciousness

"Alayziah? Alayziah, love, I'm going to need you to open your eyes please." A deep, raspy voice breaks through my hazy trance. Slowly and groggily, my eyes open a little. I wipe them with my hands and yawn as I stretch. Wait.. where the hell am I?

I open my eyes fully now, and jump back when I see where I am and who I'm with. It looks like I'm in an office room with.. the boy I met at the party? Grayson, I think. He's staring at me intently, like he's waiting for me to speak. Like I'm some kind of alien or something.

"Do you have any idea what happened to you last night?"

"Uh, I.. I was jumped." Realization hits me as all the memories from last night come flooding back. The girls from the party.. the murders.. the man not being found.. me getting attacked and almost kidnapped. Grayson must notice my flustered state because he instantly comforts me, tapping his hand on my shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay. You're safe now."

My nerves calm down a bit with his soothing voice and touch. That is, until I notice my friends are nowhere to be seen.

"Where am I? Where are Chris, Grace, and Ryan?"

His expressions doesn't change. Serious, yet sympathetic. "They're right outside the building waiting for you. Don't worry, they're okay. I'll contact your parents and te-"

"No, no, please don't. They can't know I went to that party Grayson. I'll never be able to do anything ever again."

He looks worried, but agrees anyway. "Alright, well, you better get going. Take it easy, though. Your attacker had a really tight hold around your throat and neck area, causing a bit of swelling in that area which can make it painful to talk at times and slightly harder to breathe."

I nod, but I'm still so confused. Isn't he only like 19? 20? How does he know all of this? Is he some Doctor? And seriously, where am I?

"Time to go." Grayson rasps with a warm smile on his face. He gently lifts me up and makes sure I'm safe to walk on my own. Obviously I am though, my attacker didn't have time to hurt me because I was rescued.

I was rescued.. by Grayson! And I haven't even thanked him yet. What a great person I must seem like. We've just exited the building and all three of my friends jump up, racing over to me. Worry is etched all over their faces.

"I'm okay guys. I'm alright." I smile at them. They let out such long sighs, it's almost like they weren't breathing since I had left them. Grayson turns around and begins to walk back inside.

"Gray, wait!" He stops and turns around confusedly.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to thank you," I breathe when I've finally reached him. He's quite tall, forcing me to tilt my chin up a ways to meet his eyes with my own. A beautiful, vibrant green connects with my own hazel eyes.

His dimpled smile is unwavering. "For what?"

As if he doesn't already know. "For saving me? He could've.. killed me. Thank you for stopping him, for.. saving my life." I look around, I look anywhere other than his firm gaze. It was him that stopped the man, right? This is going to get awkward real fast if it wasn't. Before I could question myself any further he speaks up.

"Be careful out there Alayziah." His facial expression is unreadable. What does he mean by that?

I nod gratefully one last time before heading back to the car with my friends.