Life, Love & The Forbidden

Rescue Me (Pt.2)

Michael didn't know what to think. He didn't know where Sara was or whom she was with. Was this a sick joke? Her revenge? Somehow he couldn't believe that Sara would be this cruel. Her muffled screams gripped at his heart through the phone pressed to his ear and his breathing quickened. He spun around, searching the campus for any sign that this wasn't real as he walked back to his dorm from the library.

Michael flipped his silver phone closed and stared at it in his hand for a second. What had just happened? He had absolutely no idea where Sara was or how she had called him. He had heard her scream but then her voice was gone, silenced into mumbling tears. Michael's head snapped up as he broke into a sprint towards his dorm.

He panted heavily as his heart raced in his chest. His feet fell to the pavement like rocks with each step, his eyes constantly darting around the campus for any sign of Sara. He stopped as two paths crossed on the campus, leading off into four different directions. He spun around looking behind him, his expression full of panic and frustration.

He ran a trembling hand across his head, his fingers tangling in his lengthening spikes. His hair had grown somewhat since he shaved his head last Summer. Now it was January, almost February and he welcomed the extra coverage in the cold night. Condensation hung in the air as he exhaled hard, his mouth open and his lungs stinging from the coldness he breathed.

Michael spun back around when he heard a short giggle. Hoping it was Sara and this was all a joke to scare him, his eyes flickered from side to side until they rested on a couple. They looked young and stumbled from the front garden of a party hand in hand. The guy tried to lift the girl with a dirty grin on his face but she pushed against his shoulders with a laugh and he dropped her to her feet.

Michael started towards them, his stride wide and hurried. As he got closer he recognised the girl as Sara's friend. They had never spoken before but he had seen them together at the library. The guy hugged the girl protectively as Michael approached, their smiles dropping from their faces.

"Michael?" she looked puzzled. "What are you doing here?" Michael looked behind them, hoping to see Sara emerge from the party at any time safe and smiling. She didn't. "Are you ok?" She asked again, pulling herself free from her boyfriend's arms.

"Did Sara come with you?" he searched their blank faces for an answer to his question.

"Yeah she went to get a drink with some guy," he friend said, waving a hand over her shoulder lazily.

"Where's is she now?" he asked her in a flurry, staring straight into her eyes. Her boyfriend turned behind them, his eyelids heavy and half open. He started into the space between them and the house puzzled.

"Sara was..." he started. Michael growled and pushed through them, knocking her friend backwards one way and her boyfriend the other. "Hey!" he shouted in protest and shot a glance at his girlfriend who had just realised the seriousness of the situation. Immediately she sobered up.

"Come on," she commanded, grabbing her boyfriend's arm and dragging him back to the party behind Michael.

Michael burst through the open door into the room. No one batted an eyelid and continued worshipping the band. "Sara!" he called but a heavy guitar solo drowned his voice out. His long jacket flew behind him as he rushed through the crowded hallway, excusing his pushed and prods as he made his way into the kitchen.

It was almost empty, of people and beer. Sara was nowhere to be seen and he didn't waste time looking any more. He ran back out into the hallway and stopped dead in the crowd. People looked at him with disgust and a few people called him a freak as he stood on tiptoes to see over them. He searched the room for Sara's familiar red hair but he was disappointed.