Hunted

Shocking Discovery

*Oliver's POV*

I sat quietly in Chester's Suburban while Tyler drove. I didn't know what to say, what to feel. I had killed someone. I didn't mean to, but that doesn't change anything. She's dead and there's nothing I can do to bring her back. Maybe I really am crazy just like everyone around here thinks I am. The look of pure terror on her face as she realized she was dying is something I'll never forget; something that will haunt me until the day I die. But strangely..I didn't regret it. By that one act, I was freed, and was able to see Sam. Just the sight of her, no matter how short, was balm to my weathered mind and soul, easing the pain and emptiness I didn't realize had gotten so bad. I swear by everything I hold dear that I will find the bitch that did this to her and I will make them suffer. I will rip them apart piece by piece and take pleasure in watching the light fade from their eyes forever.

*Tyler's POV*

I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. Roads blur into trees and trees into sky so much so that I have no way of knowing where one ends and another begins. I know I shouldn't be driving like this but I don't have a choice. Oliver is in no shape to drive and we have to get back to the house and soon. Something is really wrong, I just know it. Chester and the others should have been back hours ago and if not, they should have at least called by now to tell us where they were. I've left him multiple messages and the last time I called his phone it didn't even ring at all before it went to his voicemail. I could just be paranoid but I really don't think so. Even if I am, it can't hurt to check right?

I was so lost in thought that I didn't see the spikes until it was too late. I swore to myself as I ran right over them and heard the tires as they burst.  I lost control and swerved off the road, heading straight for a tree. I grabbed the wheel and jerked, trying to maneuver it back to the safety of the road. I must have over corrected though because it started to tilt dangerously on two wheels. I slammed the brakes and instantly knew that was the worst thing I could have done as the vehicle finally gave up, barrel-rolling too many times for me to count. Pain exploded behind my eyes as my face slammed into the steering wheel, leaving me dizzy and confused. We started slowly losing momentum, and after a few more rolls, stopped completely on our side. I blinked, trying to clear the dirt that came in through the busted windows out of my eyes. "Who the hell put that in the road?" I cursed,  "You okay man?" Oliver asked and I looked over at him and replied, "I'm okay..I think." I reached down and tried to unbuckle my seatbelt but it was jammed. Oliver's wasn't stuck, so he undid his and crawled over to help me. "There's a knife in the glove box. See if you can open it and use it to cut me free." I said, trying to focus on not passing out. The door was jammed at first, but after a few pulls flew open, dispersing the contents all over the place. He searched around for a bit then finally found the knife. He crawled back to me and carefully started slicing through the fibers of the seatbelt.

Movement in the distance caught my eye. I looked over Oliver's head and saw a man in a trench coat slowly but purposefully walking towards us. I don't know how, but I just knew it was him. The guy that hurt Sam and probably the reason we crashed. "There's a man coming this way. Don't make it obvious that you see him." I whispered through gritted teeth. Oliver instantly stopped what he was doing and sneaked a glance over his shoulder. Without warning, he turned around and starting crawling towards the open window. "What are you doing? Don't leave me here." I called out, but he didn't reply. He squeezed through the window and started walking towards the man. "Oliver, no!" I screamed but it did no good. He stopped a few feet away from the vehicle and waited, seeming to dare the stranger to come any closer. The knife he was using to free me was hidden behind his back, prepared to strike. The man took a few more steps and came to a halt, no more than five feet away from Oliver. Neither one of them moved, just stared at each other in silence. I saw the man nod my way and grin but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Oliver's back was to me but I could see the heavy rise and fall of his breathing and knew he was pissed. The man threw his head back and laughed. While he was off his guard, Oliver struck out and slashed the man's chest. In a flash, the man kicked Oliver's leg out from under him causing him to fall and took off towards the wood. I heard Oliver curse as he jumped up and ran off after him. "OLIVER..NO!" I screamed, straining against my seatbelt with all my weight but to no avail. I was stuck, and there was nothing I could do about it. I could only hope someone came by, and fast.

*Lacey's POV*

      When I woke up Alex had already disposed of Aura's body and cleaned up any evidence of her brutal murder. I tried to convince myself that it was just a dream; that it didn't really happen. I can still see her eyes, begging me to help her as I sat helplessly and watched. I feel numb, broken. Like I can never come back from this. I just want to die. I was staring at the wall, contemplating my demise when Alex burst in panting and covered in blood. He slammed the door behind him. "La..cey." he cried and stumbled over to me, collapsing at my feet. He looked up at me, disbelief in his eyes and begged, "Please, help me." Help him? How? Why would I even want to? He's a fucking psycho. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box cutter. I shuddered, not even wanting to know what he planned to do with that. He threw it towards me and I cringed as it landed in my lap. I looked down at Alex but he had passed out bleeding on the floor.

I wasted no time in cutting myself free. It took a while as the ropes were really tight and the position he had tied me up in was really difficult to maneuver. My wrists were bleeding yet again as I cut the last rope and was finally free. I jumped up and ran to the door, praying it would open. I turned the knob and it opened; freedom inches away. I looked over at Alex one more time and stopped. He was losing a lot of blood and I knew if I left him like this he would die. War waged in my mind as I went back and forth between helping him and leaving him. He's my brother, my family..but he's also a killer, crazy...but he'll die if I leave him...but he deserves to die after all he's done. In the end family won, and I ran back over to him. I rolled him over onto his back and tried to find the source of the blood. His coat made it hard to see anything so I carefully took it off him. I gasped as his arms were exposed for the first time. Scars of varying shapes and sizes covered his arms. Some looked as if they had been hastily stitched back together, not taking the time to properly align the skin before doing so. Others were raised and angry looking, harsh against his pale skin. I lifted his shirt to inspect his wound and found that his stomach and chest were the same way, but worse if that was even possible. He even had a circular scar where..his..nipple has been cut off. I felt as if my heart had shattered in a million pieces. "Oh Alex..what happened to you?" I cried and set to work trying to save his life.