Marilyn High ✅

Chapter 14

The rain poured all over my face. I had to keep whipping it away, but I only ended up getting more dirt on my face because I was crawling on the ground. Why did he have to cut my legs to the point that I couldn't walk? Speaking of the cuts, I never saw if there were bleeding. I stopped in my tracks and looked back at the bottoms of my legs. I couldn't tell if it was runny water and blood or if it was all blood. Well, at least I can tell God that I was making the effort to get out of the woods. Thunder boomed one after another. We've never had this bad of a storm before until now. I kept my head held high and hoped for the best. 

It seemed like the storm would never end, but the rain got lighter. The light stayed the pitch dark kind, only lighting to show me vague images of the ground before me. My guess was that it was night time. Maybe around 10 or 11. The time I'd be getting ready for bed, setting my alarm clock to wake me up tomorrow for school. It may be a weekend by now for all I know. 

Who knows how long I had been crawling through the woods. I gave up. I went near a tree and sat my back against it. I was cold, hungry, tired, wounded, and I had no idea where I was. I cupped my face and cried. I was done. All my hope for getting out was gone. I'd probably die from hypothermia by the end of the storm with my luck. I had most likely killed a man. He was going to do God knows what to me though. I sat there, in the icy cold wind and the brutal storm til I fell asleep.

When I woke up, the sun was barely visible and I wasn't soaking wet, but I was much drier than before. I looked at my surroundings and saw nothing that I could remember from walking in the woods. I took a deep breath before I let myself cry. I need to at least try. It'll do no one any good if I sit here and await my death. It'll bring no justice to me, it won't make my parents any happier, it will make it harder for the police to find me, and it'll give the guy what he wants. For me to be dead. I wasn't about to let him win. I checked my wounds and they were covered in mud. I needed to find a water source and wash them before they got infected. I tried my best to stand, but I had to have the tree support me. I hadn't walked at all in a few days. I took tiny steps and wobbled everywhere. My legs got used to the weight of my body, so it got easier and easier as I walked throughout the damp forest. I hope it doesn't rain again.

As I walked, navigating my way, I felt my stomach rumble. I don't remember the last time I ate. Up ahead I saw what looked like a small lake and a dock. I picked up my pace and looked around the lake to see if there was a house or cabin or some sort. When I found nothing, I went to the lake and washed the dried mud from my legs. I had little scratches on my legs from crawling in the storm. The wounds oozed out yellow puss. It was infected. Great. I sat down on the dock and watched the water as I thought of what to do next. My mind raced of ideas. I could stay here and wait for help. I could go searching for help. Or I could crawl under a tree and wait for my death or infection, dehydration, or hunger. Either one would work, but I decided to just keep my head up and wait it out for a few hours.

The sun was high in the sky when I finally gave up on people coming to my rescue, so I began the trek back to safety. Well, at least trying to find safety. In my walk, I saw the animals that lived in the woods and wondered why this all happened to me. I guess it could've happened to one of the other missing people, but no one knows. Only a few have been found. Then there are the ones who might never be found, like me. Hour after hour, I began counting my steps. I was getting tired and I was hungrier than ever. I didn't know what was edible in the woods. I watched squirrels run past me and rabbits shoot away from their hiding place. Up ahead I saw the top of something. My heart jumped. It was a building. I started to run but had to quit for fear that I might collapse. The lack of food and water drained me to no end. I got to the building and it looked quite familiar. It was a house from my city! I let out a scream of happiness and went up to the door. I knocked and was greeted by an older couple and I thought their eyes would've popped out of their sockets when they saw who I was. I must've been on the TV, they let me in and gave me anything I needed. They contacted the police and they let me borrow their phone to call my parents. I saw my mom's car outside and ran out with tears spilling from my eyes. I missed them so much. The gave each other the love and they started to ask questions. I looked down at my feet. I completely forgot about the cuts on my foot. I told them and they went inside to help clean and bandage them up.

"I can't believe you're alive!" my mom said shattering me with more kisses, "I thought you were dead."

"I thought I would've been too." I gave them a weak smile. More tears formed in my eyes.

"I called your father. He's going to try and catch a plane from North Dakota to come see you."

"Thank you." I smiled for real this time. I knew my mom didn't want to talk to my dad since the divorce, but I'm glad she called him for this reason. He had the right to know I was alive. I would've called anyways, but it meant something to me that she called him. 

The police came to the elder's house and they asked me questions. I gave them all the answers they needed and I told them about me falling through a floor with the killer. They took notes of everything. I decided against bringing up the random lake with the dock. It looked pretty old and I'm sure it was no use to them. My parents ended up taking me out of the school, which made me upset, but I see their reasoning. I could still go visit during the day. 

*Three days later*

"Who are you texting?" My mom asked pouring herself a cup of coffee.

"Bella, she hasn't replied to me at all. I'm starting to get worried." My mom stopped pouring and just looked at me with sad eyes. Oh no. "What?" I asked.

"Bella...was taken a while back. I think it was a few days after you were taken. No one really knows exactly..."

I stared at her in disbelief.

Author's Note: My books coming to an ending, sadly. Although I like how it's been going.  I really wish I had more to write, but I'd have to add more chapters and I know what to add, but I'm too lazy to do that. Maybe I'll end up writing a sequel??