Little Did I Know (unedited)

Chapter 11

I woke up with a headache. The second thing I registered: the pain in my jaw. I gingerly felt the corner where Cole slammed into me, and instantly regretted it when I almost cried out. It was still so swollen, there must be a huge purple-black bruise as well.

This reminded me of the time when I was five and I fell off my bike, busting my knee on the concrete. I couldn't even walk; my best friend, Jake, had to run to get Mom.

All the air flew out of me as I realized I remembered. I could recall memories from my childhood. I knew I was sixteen, and I had played the piano since I was two. I knew the man from the forest, his name, what he looked like, and why he was after me.

Cole sat up from laying down on the floor. I hadn't even known he was there. Briefly examining my surroundings, I found I was on the couch in the living room. "Cole..." I tested to see whether I could talk or not. I could tolerate the pain, so I continued.

"I remember everything! When you hit me," --he winced-- "it somehow brought my memory back!" "Oh. That's great." He replied, giving a halfhearted smile. "Do you know who the man from the forest is?" "Yeah, his name is John Saraa." I felt my palms start to sweat as I suddenly got the feeling I was being watched.

"What does he want?" Cole asked eagerly. "He wants... me." I took a deep breath and told my story. "My parents were police, and they arrested his wife, Polly, for murdering a three year old boy. John got so mad at my parents, he vowed to destroy them and everything they cared about.

One night, about a year ago, I was eating dinner with my family, when we heard gunshots. My dad ran to get his gun and bulletproof vest while my mom rushed me to the bomb shelter carefully hidden in our house. Shaking as the sounds of three guns went off, I called 911 for backup. Thankfully, the man couldn't find me, and help arrived to arrest him.

When the police told me I could come out, I ran to find my parents. They were laying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. I was overcome with emotion. It led me to do something stupid; I let the man see my face when I went outside to watch him get in the car. I just wanted to see who killed my parents, not make him hate me. I was willing to forgive him, but he never forgave my parents.

As the police shoved him into the car, he looked straight at me with hatred in his eyes, and made the same vow he made to my parents. He was going to find me, and he would kill me.

Since none of my relatives were still alive, I went to live with an old friend of my mother, Sally. Almost a year had passed, and I thought I would never see John again, but I was wrong. A week ago, I was watching T.V. with Sally while her husband was at work. It was about three in the morning, a weekend. Suddenly, the window nearby shattered, and we ducked and took cover. Again, the police were called in time, but he got away. They only found the footprints outside, near the window.

Sally tried to reassure me, but I knew he wouldn't stop until he killed me. I didn't want to put Sally at risk, so I did the only thing I knew to do. I ran away. I left a note, explaining it all.

I had only been gone a few days when John caught up to me in the forest. I knew he wouldn't make my death quick; he was a sadistic madman who only cared about revenge. I had just braced myself, the gun's cold metal against my temple, when we heard footsteps. It was you, Cole. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground, and he was kicking me in the ribs. He ran, whispering that he would be back for me. I passed out after a few minutes, and I woke up and saw you. You know the rest."

Finishing my story, a tear glistened in my eye. All the weight that was suddenly dropped on me, knowing that my parents were dead because of the man hunting me, was just too much to bear. I sat down, all the energy leaving my body. Cole sat beside me, reading my mind.