We Protect Each Other

Chapter 16

Scott's pov

What did I do? Why is he running? He's fricken fast. I can't catch up, I know it for a fact but I can't stop yet. I chased Mitch until I could no longer see him. I turned around and full on sprinted back to the crawlspace, I was back there in no time. I moved the scrap metal to reveal Kirstie and Alex still just sitting inside. They both looked up to me at the same time. I was panting and my heart was racing.

"He-he took off. I don't know. He just ran. He's gone. I don't know what I did. Guys! What did I do!" I was now pacing back and forth, yelling at my friends, with my hands in my hair.

They jumped out of the space and approached me. Kirstie was the first to talk. "Scott, calm down. Tell us what happened."

"He's gone Kirst! That's what happened! I said he made me happy and he just ran! Took off just like that." I started off yelling but my tone changed by the time I said my last sentence. "What did I do wrong?"

"Scott, you didn't do anything wrong. I don't know why he would've ran away, he seemed so happy with you." Kirstie said calmly.

"I don't know where he is. I can't protect him if I'm not there with him. What if he gets hurt? It'll be all my fault." I put my back to the wall and slid down it so I was sitting on the ground. My mind thought up every possible bad thing that could happen while Mitch is alone.

"This is not your fault Scott Hoying. Listen to me, you did nothing wrong, not one single thing. That boy came to you with scars. One of them may have caused trust issues. Okay? This isn't your fault." Kirstie's words soothed me, as always. She sat down on the ground beside me and wrapped her arms around me as I rested my head on my knees and let myself cry for the first time in oh so long. Alex sat down on the other side of me and rested his arm around my shoulder.

I don't know how I ever did anything without these two.

*****

Mitch's pov

My awakening was a rude one. It was still dark but I could feel someone angrily tugging on my arm. My eyes had a hard time adjusting but I didn't have time to let them adjust before I was yanked up from my spot on the bench.

"Are you crazy!" Some random dude was whispering angrily at me.

"What?" I said still sounding half asleep.

"Follow me now." He started pulling me but I yanked my arm back. He turned and stared at me, clearly annoyed. "We need to go, right now." He said sternly.

"I don't know you."

"I'm helping you. Now follow me, fast!"

I stood straight and crossed my arms.

"Fine be that way." He said only seconds before hoisting me up onto his shoulder and quickly walking away from the bench I was on.

"Hey! What are you doing!" I said quite loud while I punched his back.

"Shut up! Are you trying to get us killed?"

"What?" I asked, genuinely confused and now much more scared than I was before.

"I'll explain in a minute now just sit tight or I can let you down and you will cooperate with me."

"Fine. Let me down."

The man dropped me and signalled me to follow him right before he started running. I did as he did and kept a close eye on his actions and on my surroundings. He led me through a maze of buildings and back alleys before we stopped. We stood in front of a small hole that was made in the side of a building, it was hidden behind a couple of boxes and there was a curtain where the entrance was. I say small but it was probably bigger than the crawl space I've been living in for the past little while. The man went in and told me to follow so I did. Once I got in, he turned on a lantern to reveal him and also one other guy. The one I've been following had dark skin and very short black hair, he also had a small beard, not even beard, basically just scruff. His friend had long dark hair and a real beard.

"Care to explain why I'm here?" I asked the pair.

"Ah right," the one that I followed spoke up, "you were in the predator's territory." I gave him a confused look and he continued to explain. "There's a bunch of bigger guys that own that space and at night when nobody is around to see, they go out there and kidnap and most often rape anyone there. I didn't want you or anyone in that case to get hurt, so I got you out of there."

"Oh." Well great, now I felt bad for being so difficult. He really was just trying to help. "Sorry I was so-"

"No need to apologize, I completely understand. Random stranger telling you to follow them, pretty sketchy." I nodded and shot him a weak smile which he returned with a much brighter one. "I'm Kevin by the way."

He extended his hand and I took it and we shook hands. "I'm Mitch."

His friend then spoke up. "I'm Avi, in case you were wondering." My eyes bugged out when he first spoke, his voice is deep. Super deep. He must've noticed because he chuckled a bit. "Yeah, I know, I have a deep voice, that's how I earned my nickname, Bass."

"Who the heck calls you that?" Kevin asked then laughed.

"Shut up! It's cool." Avi answered and smiled.

"You should probably get some rest." Kevin said to me and I nodded. "Make yourself at home."

I curled up in the corner and quickly drifted off into dream world.