Hunted

Chapter 11: Asking For A Date

Picture of Sarah (U.S. Marshall)

*****

After my panic attack, Elizabeth freaked out. She didn't know what to do or how to act. When it was all over with, I left the room and went to my room. I was on the verge of tears now.

How did Jason find me? It had taken only a month from my last placement and he was already here. There was no way to track me down that quickly, so how did he do it?

I thought back to the poor woman who was murdered in the alley. She was innocent. Her death was because of me. I brought Jason here. The blood was on my hands.

I was so caught up in my thoughts; I was startled by the high pitch ring of my cell phone. Hesitantly, I walked over to it and slowly answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Silver..." the person on the other end of the line breathed out. Her voice was morose with more bad news. Sarah never could hide anything from me.

"Sarah, what happened?" I cut straight to the point.

"I received news of a murder, shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" she questioned.

"I'm fine here. I just heard about what happened on the news, and before you ask, no, I didn't know her."

She paused for a second, confirmation running through her head as the thoughts disappeared, "Good. The fewer ties the cops can make to you the better."

"So it was him," fear started to seep into my voice, threatening to take full control over my body once again.

"There is no confirmation yet, but something in my gut says that Jason has found you a lot sooner than we anticipated."

"So he is coming for me?" My breathing sped up as my heart beat increased.

"Listen to me, Silver," she started to try and calm my racing mind, "It could have been anyone's monster. You aren't the only one in that town with demons and you know it. This death doesn't mean Jason is back."

"If Jason didn't kill that women, who did?" I questioned, "And who were they actually after?"

"Don't Silver. It's not fair for you to go prying around in other protectees past," she scolded.

"Deaths in this town will draw the eyes of the world here. We need to make sure this is isolated before 'Serial Comes to Quaint Colorado Town' is blasted over every news station. The more media get a hold of this, the faster Jason and everyone else's past find us," I reasoned.

"You shouldn't be doing this, Silver. You should bury your past like each one of those kids and move on."

"Those kids haven't moved on. No one can move on from having the only life they know taken from them. I'm going to dig my way around and see if one of the other kids has a similar M.O. to Jason's. Maybe then I put my past to rest," I quickly hung up my phone, cutting off Sarah's disapproval before she even started.

I needed to know if Jason had found me, but I also knew that one of these days, I will have to bury my past in a deep dark hole to never be found again. Maybe then I will be free.

*****

The news of the death spread like wildfire throughout the town. People were weary of everyone they came into contacted with. No one was the same any more.

The kids who were in the program were even more skittish than before. I tried talking to each one of them, but they were too nervous. Some didn't even bother coming to school.

If I wanted to hear each one of their stories, I would have to just wait until the next SIN club meeting.

The more I thought about it though, the more Sarah seemed to be right. Maybe this wasn't Jason or any other killer. Maybe that girl's death was just an everyday murder of passion. Maybe I should just leave the past in the past. But being the person I am, I'm just naturally nosy, and I want to know each one of those students entire history.

I was thinking so hard about it, I didn't even notice the person standing in front of me until I walked smack into her.

"Sorry," I mumbled as I bent down to pick up both our books I knocked onto the floor.

"Walk much?" I stared up at the snide remark. It was none other than Megan Saunders, the Queen Bitch herself.

As she spoke the bell rang through the halls as the students rushed to their classrooms.

"I don't have time for this," I say as I try to push past her.

She shoved me back, "Excuse me? Who the hell are you?"

"No one that concerns you," I snap at her. I shove past her and make it to class. Now I understand what Andy and the guys were talking about. She didn't even know who I was and acted superior. She really tried to fill the role of Queen Bitch.

The late bell rang over head as I finally made it to my locker. I was going to be tardy, again. I shoved my stuff in and pulled out one of the purple binders. Slamming the door shut, I didn't even look up when I ran smack into a wall.

After a second, I noticed it wasn't a wall but a chest. I looked up to see Dylan staring down at me.

"We have to stop meeting like this. People might start talking," his voice husky and smooth.

"Well that story might not be very original. Isn't that how all those tacky first meet scenes start?" I toyed with him.

He gave me a smirk, replying, "It is. So I guess this is the part where I say something like you look familiar. Do we have class together? I could have sworn we had chemistry."

I blushed a bit and answered back, "That was a bit of cheesy. Come up with it on your own?"

"Years of movies, actually. I can go cheesier if you would like. Let's see," he looked off for a second, pretending to be thinking hard, "Oh, I got one. I lost my number, can I have yours?"

I laughed at that one. He was charming and funny, "I don't know, what would you do with it?" I flirted.

"I would ask you to the bonfire this weekend," he stated hesitantly.

"What's the bonfire?" my shock showing. I asked the question not because I was confused, but get to my head around what he said. I thought we were just playing around. I didn't take that hint.

He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he tried again, "There is a bonfire this Friday before the game to cheer on the football team. The entire school goes. So..." he paused, running his hand through his ruffled hair, "Will you go with me?"

"Sure," I answered, "I'd love to."

Relief showed on his features as he released a breathe I hadn't even realized he was holding.

"Good. I'll talk to you after school." With that he walked to class as I left for mine.

I started to think of all the normal things I had done since I arrived at this little town. I had made friends. I had a date with an extremely hot guy. I didn't have to hide my past if I chose to share it.

Maybe I could have a life here, or maybe all these new experiences were just more he could take away.