The Story No One Knew (Third Book In 'The Story We Live' Series

Sucker

I swear something was following me but who wouldn't? It was dark, like really dark and I didn't know whether or not I was going straight or in circles.

"Echo!" I yell. "I'm sorry, but I wanna go home so if you'd just come out that would be great!" Of course there was no answer.

I'd thought about going back multiple times but I would never.

I keep walking while calling her name and pleading for her to come out. There was always no answer.

I kid you not, I've kept this up for at least an hour and I was so done. "Echo, if you don't get your ass out here-"

"What!"

I spin around as fast as I don't even know what and there she was standing in the slightest beam of the moon's light.

"Echo, I'm sorry." I step forward to hug her and she obviously doesn't hug me back. "It's really not that big of a deal honestly."

She pushes me off. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Of course it's not a big deal to you but when you've been yelled at your whole life if kinda hard to take. You'd think I'd be used to it and I am, but once someone I actually care about yells at me it hurts." She was crying by the end of this but her voice sounded over the top angry yet sad.

She sat down in a pile of leaves and rested her back up on a tree. Now, me being the old me, I would've sat next to her and talked her through but I don't really do that anymore. I'm still me but I'm smarter now.

"C'mon, Echo. I said I'm sorry but it really late. We can talk about this at Brad's house."

She looked up at me but I could only see her eyes through the darkness. "No," she stood, "you can go back. I'm staying."

I laugh at this. "You're gonna stay out here, in the woods a all night?"

"Yep."

It's like we were both there, with full awareness of each other but yet we didn't notice each other. I know it doesn't make sense but just picture a girl and boy, both sitting on the floor with their backs pressed against a brick wall. Even though the wall is behind them, it's like it's between them.

"Quit playing around, let's go." I was beginning to become fed up with her stubborn attitude and I didn't hesitate this time to begin my walk back through the woods. I turn away from her and start for the exit of where I guessed I had just came, the leaves crunching under my feet.

Foolishly, I had thought she'd follow.

I hadn't gone very far when I realized her footsteps couldn't be heard after mine so I turn to see absolutely nothing but pitch black. Luckily I keep my gaze at the emptiness and my eyes soon adjust. She was still standing there, arms crossed over her chest, her back pressed against the trunk of the tree.

"Echo-"

Then she was gone. I mean, gone. Like gone. I'm not exaggerating when I say she just vanished. Not like into dust or something dumb like that but like something pulled her yet she didn't make a noise. It was like something had pulled her somehow behind the tree and into the darkness.

I'm not sure how to explain it except that she was gone. But she didn't leave, something took her. I just know it.

I stand there, shaking in my shoes, my head and heart pounding. I feel my veins race with adrenaline under my skin. My brain was telling me to drop everything and run away as fast as I could but my gut feeling was screaming at me to go after her.

I mean, using common sense, all signs point to run. I don't have light so there's no way to see where I'm going. I'm in the woods and no one can find either of us especially if we go deeper. And it would just plain make more sense to leave as fast as I can back to the house and call Brad's mom at the hospital. She's an adult, she'd know what to do.

Before I can even contemplate further, I rush after her. What can I say, I'm a sucker for love, and a very stupid one at that.