How Do You Like Me Now?

Chapter Three~Follow Me

'What do you think guys,' I enquire as soon as the small man is out of sight. 'What should we do?' I  collapse onto the grass and spread my arms. 'We're free here, aren't we?' I gaze at the glistening night sky. 'What do you mean we're not free?' I sit up and stare at Will in disbelief. 'We are still forced to give in to society's laws...I see what you're saying.' I grin. 'But we could be free-'

 I duck as soon as I hear distant voices. I run behind one of the great oaks. That was close. 'Wait!' I realise I forgot Will and Mr Baffles. They're right there on the bench, they'll be fine...right? I can't go and get them now, the silhouettes are nearing closer. They are tall and slim, carrying flash lights and yelling. They'll see me!  I kick into a gape in the tree. I knock out bark as quietly as I can and scare off a few grubs, before crawling into the tiny whole, and curling up inside.

'Lainee?'

'Lainee!' The voices echo through the woods. It's a search party. I don't want to go back! The crackling of leaves on the unswept pavement gets closer as I cover my mouth with my knees. It's so squishy, I can barley move.

'Lainee! Are you here? Laaaaainee!' The calling irritates my ears.

'I just want to be left alone,' I mutter.

'Hey look!' I hear a young man's voice approach. 'It's a...teddy and picture?' I roll my eyes. Can they not see my brother?

'That's Lainee's!' I hear a familiar screech. It's my Mother.

I hold my breath as they pace around the park for a good two hours. I can barely breathe, and I'm sweating like mad. I can hear the search party coming closer again.

'Let's just take these, maybe forensics will help?'

'Why would you think that, idiot?' I can hear muffled, light sobs.

'Better luck tomorrow, we better get some rest.'

'But my baby's out there!' I roll my eyes. I'm a teenager! Well...almost. In just four more weeks, I'll be thirteen.  Wait! Did they say take these? Did they mean Will and Mr Baffles? I break out of the small hole in the oak. My ribs aching as I squeeze through. I was hoping for a grander entrance, but slowly crawling through a tree will have to do.

'What are you doing,' I scream. Gasps and sighs surround me.

'Looking for you!' My eyes scan the area. There! There's the man holding Will and Mr Baffles! I spring from where I'm standing and launch onto him. He screams in terror as I rip at his hair and bite his weak little ears.

'Give them back!' Screams of all sizes echo through the park.

'Stop that,' squeaks one feeble man.

'She's gone wild,' yells a middle-age woman resembling an opera singer.

'Give them back,' I repeat, even more stern. I cling to his back as he starts screaming and yelling.

'What? What do you want from me?'

'She means Will and her teddy.' Silence sweeps across the park.

'W-who are you,' stumbles another member of the search party. The small silhouette paces closer.

'That doesn't really matter right now.' My jaw drops as the short, red haired man from before, steps under a street lamp. 'Well?' Everyone tilts their head. 'Are you going to give them back?' I smile.

'T-these things?' I tug at the man's head again before falling off.

'Things?' He questions. 'Abuse and abduction? What a naughty little man.' I brush off my sweater and walk back around in front of the man.

'Give them back,' I demand. The man drops Will and Mr Baffles, I kneel down to catch them.

'Come on Lainee, we're going home. Get away from this dwarf of a man.' I gasp in disbelief as the face of my Mother disappears in an instant. I turn my head to see her decapitated head lying on the wet, dirty pavement. I look back at her neck, where her head used to rest. 'U-u..b-b,' I try to speak but no words will come out of my mouth. I turn to the little man. 'D-did you?' He grins as long sharp tentacles disappear into his back. I trip as I step away from the murderer.

'First Lainee running away after a fight, that Father shooting their daughter...and now...' A monotone voice breaks the silence. The party runs and trips, screaming, howling, and one by one, their heads are sliced clean off. It happens so quickly, a black flash of tentacles, and their heads are on the ground. I stand frozen in the chaos. The screams get quieter and quieter, until it's silent. Every single person, mostly adults and some children...are dead. I start to make my way to the man. Shaking and avoiding the masses of bodies. Some hands still twitching.

'W-why?' His expression turns confused.

'Haven't you killed people before?' I clench my chest as the memories flood back again.

'I only accidentally got one person killed,' I gulp, 'and that wasn't my fault!'

'But you enjoyed it.' I freeze.

'How did you know?' I stumble back. 'Who are you,' I scream, tripping over bodies.

'I told you my name was Vincent, Lainee, and I can help you.' I pause.

'Help me?'

'I can teach you to express your anger, to understand yourself!' I slowly pace closer.

'Understand myself?'

'Lainee, you're just like me.' I scan his appearance from his orange hair to his brown, stained shoes.

'How?'

'I will explain soon, just not here, on the way. Come with me.' He holds out his palm. I turn back to look at the blood splattered Will and Mr Baffles. I wipe them off with my sleeve.

'What if I don't want to?' His face turns red again.

'You have no-where else to go!'

'I have everywhere,' I argue.

'Not when the police find you! What's gonna' happen tomorrow morning when someone discovers all these bodies? Are you just going to live in a tree all your life?'

He has a good point. I sigh and loosen my grip on Will and the bear. 'Fine.' I make my way through the maze of bodies. 'I'll come.' He sighs with relief. 'If,' I look down at his annoyed face, 'Will and Mr Baffles can come too.' He nods in agreement as he turns to face the woods, and motions me to follow.

'Just follow me, it may take a while.'