Don't Talk to Strangers

Chapter 5

The headlights behind turned and I let out a breath of relief. I looked out the window at the darkness surrounding us, except for the brightness of the moon.

"Are you ok?" Josh asked me. I looked over at his arm for the first time. The sleeve of his jacket was was pressed up against him and I could see the dark blood on his clothes.

"I'm fine, Josh is your arm going to be alright?" I looked at his eyes that I could tell were full of worry. He looked away and moved his arm slightly.

"It's fine, it's not that bad," He said trying to hide the pain, and then it was silence.

We pulled into his driveway and I helped him out of the car. I could tell the cut was bad from the amount of blood on his suit.

"Josh, maybe you should go to the hospital," I suggested.

"No! We have to stay here tonight. It's the only place I know we're safe."

I helped him unlock the front door and he stumbled into the kitchen. I grabbed him and helped him stand.

"First aid kit in the upstairs bathroom still?" All the houses in Ridgeway were built the same and all came with a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.

Josh nodded and I jogged up the stairs. I got it out of the cabinet under the sink and went back to the kitchen to find him by the sink trying to take his jacket off. I quickly went over to help him.

When we got it off I had to look away from the rush of dizziness that hit me. I shook my head and took a deep breath. I looked back at his arm and saw the horizontal gash his uncle made.

Josh ran it under the faucet and I watched as he grimaced in pain. I quickly got some bandages out of the kit, as well as a small bottle of peroxide.

"Just so it doesn't get infected," I said opening the bottle," This is going to burn a little," I poured some on the gash and saw Josh grit his teeth. I felt bad for causinghing him pain and put the cap back on.

"Sorry," I said, wrapping his arm in the bandage, hoping he wouldn't bleed through it.

"We'll change that in a little, but if it doesn't stop bleeding you'll need to get stitches," Josh half smiled at me as a thanks and and I nodded.

"So, you said you would explain," I said my voice shaking. Josh looked away and walked to the couch in the living room. I sat down next to him and waited for him to tell me. Out of no where he wrapped his good arm around and me and held me tight.

"I'm so sorry, Kara." He whispered into my ear. He sat back on the couch and I saw the same look he gives me every now and then.

"What do you mean? Josh, just tell me what's going on!"

"I didn't want to get you involved, but you are. You have to be careful, very careful, from now on."

"Why?" I said as his gentle brown eyes met mine.

"Your dad, he didn't die of cancer." I looked away and felt my face getting hot.

"How did you know that?" I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

Josh lifted my head up, forcing me to look at him. "My parents were murdered too, Kara." I gasped and felt tears running down my face, How did he know?

"That's why I had to move away. The police had suspected that I killed my own parents, there was no proof but since I bullied people they thought I did it," I looked at him in disbelief, I didn't quite understand but I stayed silent.

"They also traced the murder of my parents to your dad, and you just so happened to be one of my innocent bullying victims. They sent me out of state for questioning and kept me in jail for a couple nights. But after they figured out it wasn't me, I decided to stay there for a couple years so people wouldn't think I actually did it, and to give you some relief time. I figured you didn't need to deal with your bully too."