The Dark Hour

--------Ridge--------

After dinner I just went to bed. I was getting paranoid that my uncle was going to do something, and I didn't know what. I didn't want to go back there, I don't want to live with him. I sighed and was close to falling asleep when someone opened my door. I sat up and calmed down when I saw it was just Lalna.

"Umm, is it ok if I sleep in here?" He asked softly. I nodded.

"Yeah it's fine." He shut the door behind him and got in the bed. He ended up curling up in my side and a minute later he was out. I smiled and wrapped an arm around him. I closed my eyes and slowly fell asleep.

~~~~

Axel was driving us to school and I saw my uncle's car again. I decided to ignore it. He couldn't do anything at the school. Lalna held my hand as we walked into the building then he let go and started heading towards his locker. I sighed and just went to first hour. It's not like I could do anything else.

~~~~

School flew by again and it was really uneventful. The only thing that was weird was that the group of kids that picked on Lalna stayed in a group all day. I was waiting at the front for Axel and Lalna. I waited five minutes before Axel's car pulled up, but Lalna wasn't here yet.

"Where's Lalna?"

"I don't know, he should be here by now. Unless he's talking to a teacher I don't know where he is." Axel sighed and parked the car.

"Let's go find him." I nodded and we went back into the building. We looked in all the classrooms that were still open. Nothing. I checked the lockers and the locker rooms and he wasn't there either.

"I can't find him."

"Me either. Axel I'm worried."

"Okay let's not jump to conclusions maybe his mom picked him up."

"I didn't see him come to the front, and I'm usually there before him cause my eighth hour is closer to the front doors."

"Okay I don't know where else he would be."

"Maybe we should call her? I could have missed him but I don't know why he wouldn't tell me." He nodded.

"Okay do you have her phone number?"

"Yeah, I got it after I met her. Here." I handed him my phone and sighed. Please be ok, please be ok. I didn't know where he would be. Those kids never took their bullying that far and Lalna wouldn't ditch school.

"....no of course not.....thank you anyways...yeah we will let you know....Okay thanks anyways." Axel sighed and handed my phone back. "He's not home just her and Astrid." I was starting to panic. I don't know where he could be, and that freaked me out. "Hey Ridge calm down, does Lalna have any other friends? Or any place he goes?" I shook my head.

"Not that I know of. The people in his grade aren't really that friendly." I took a deep breath and just breathed. Then I got an idea. I got my phone out and called Lalna. It rang for a minute then it picked up but no one answered.

"Hello?" I asked confused.

"Ridge what's going on?" Axel asked worried.

"Someone picked up but I can't hear anything."

"What?"

"Look." I put it on speaker and then I heard soft breathing. "What the heck?"

"Is that Lalna?"

"I don't know. Hello?" I asked again.

"Hello." I jumped, that was definitely not Lalna.

"Who the fuck is that?"

"I don't know. Who are you and what have you done with Lalna?" I asked.

"Take me off speaker," The voice said simply. Axel nodded.

"Go ahead and do it we don't want any harm coming to Lalna." I bit my lip and turned speaker off. I held the phone to my ear.

"You're off speaker," I said softly.

"Good, now I do have your friend however as long as he is unconscious I will not hurt him. But that will change as soon as he wakes up."

"What do you want?" I asked scared.

"I want you to go home. Not your friend's house, your house."

"Why?"

"You have limited time here. Either go home, or your friend gets hurt." They hung up and I dropped my phone.

"Ridge what's wrong?"

"Umm th-they have Lalna and they won't hurt him until he wakes up. Unless I go back to my uncle's house," I said shakily.

"Okay this is what we're going to do, I will drop you off at your uncle's then I'll go to the cops, you will get out of the house and I will make sure that he will not hurt you again okay."

"I don't want to go back," I squeaked.

"I know you don't Ridge but we need to get Lalna home and we'll get you out of the damn house. I will use all of my savings for a new house just to get you out of there." I was about to cry. I didn't want Lalna to get hurt but I was terrified of going back to my uncle's house. "Ridge I know you don't want to go back but I have your back through all of this and you won't have to be in that house for long I will get you out of there tonight." I sniffled then nodded.

"O-Ok." Axel nodded.

"Okay let's get you dropped off so I can get to the cops." I nodded and wiped my eyes then I picked up my phone. I was going to need it. "Come on Ridge. You're going to be fine just don't do anything to make your uncle mad."

"I'll try."

"Okay." We went out to Axel's car and I hesitated before I got in. I felt sick. I didn't want to go back. Axel started driving and I just looked at the floorboards. "Ridge you are really pale." I looked at the mirror, I was pale. I swallowed and looked at my hands. I was pretty sure I was shaking and I felt like I was going to pass out.

We made it to the house and I dropped my bag in the back seat. I didn't have homework anyways.

"You're going to be okay."

"Not really," I sighed. Axel sighed.

"I'm going to get you out, like I said I won't let him hurt you anymore. I'm going to get you out tonight." I nodded, then I got out of the car. Axel got out too and stood by me. I couldn't move, I felt like my feet were stuck to the ground. "Here Ridge take this only use it if you have to." He said slipping something into my pocket. I sniffled again then quickly hugged Axel. "It's going to be okay." He said hugging me back. I didn't want to let go but I did. I sighed shakily then slowly walked up to the house. I still had the key so I unlocked it and went in. I looked at Axel then shut the door. I looked around and I didn't see anyone. I ran up to my room and quickly locked the door before I collapsed on the bed. Please hurry Axel.