The Purge ➵ a.i

4

Annalise

10:52 p.m.

We ran across the street. Obviously this guy's house was far from mine. I look up at the boy beside me, which he still hasn't uncovered his face.

I look down at my feet and back up at where we're walking to. Someone ran across the alley. "Did you see that?" I ask. "Yeah, take this," he says, handing me my gun back. So far, we've been good on avoiding people, until now.

I take the gun and point it ahead of me. This boy isn't as bad as I thought he'd be. He's actually cool, I mean for a boy who threatened to kill me.

"When can I know who you are?" I ask. "When we get there, it's right around the corner," he says. I'm about to find out who he is. He told me I know him.

We continue walking. I feel something on my leg. I look down, and there's a rat. I gasp and kick it off. The boy laughs, and I'd know that laugh anywhere.

"Ashton?" I ask, looking at him. He pauses in his tracks. He pulls his hood down and takes mask off and looks at me. "Anna," he says.

I've known Ashton since grade school. Honestly, it's a relief having him here instead of some other person.

"Anna, I need you with me tonight. I need you to help me," he says. "Why me?" I ask. "I'll tell you all of that, later," he says. I nod. "I'm glad it's you and not some other person," I say. He smiles.

"We should get going," he says. I nod and continue walking in the direction we've been going. There's one thing I never mentioned. I don't want to mention it just yet.