The Huntress

Part Five

"Damn. Just run like hell, we're only like five minutes out walking. Good luck Meg!" He yelled just as I start to run.

"See ya later! Good luck with Hannelore!" I yell, tearing down the street to my grandparents house.

I climbed up the rope my grandmother had conveniently thrown down, knowing I wouldn't be there. I jumped into my room from my window, and sat on the bed, catching my breath.

"Thanks Gramma." I breath out, still struggling to catch my breath.

"No problem, but I won't always be there to throw down a rope, You know how strict your grandfather is about your curfew. I do have book club on Wednesdays." She said, smiling.

"Yeah, I know, I'll throw it down for myself next time. Okay?" I respond, pulling out a thick navy blue sweatshirt from my closet.

"Okay honey. Good night, and don't forget your alarm." My grandmother said, walking out to the steps.

I pulled my sweatshirt over my head, and sat in my bed. I sat there for five minutes in just pure contemplation. Not life contemplation, but contemplating whether I want to pass the heir torch to my little brother in New York, or stay here and risk my life. I contemplated waking up tomorrow, or staying home "sick", but I knew that wouldn't pass by my grandmother like a fruit fly. She would find anything and everything to prove me wrong. She needed me out of the house for once. I knew I had to, but I felt no need to. I soon decided to go to sleep. I turned on a podcast on my phone, and plugged in my gold charger. I heard the two buzzes of the charger, and the intro music before the sponsors and talk show started.

"Niekamp...Year...Badger...Usidore." I heard about every other word as I drifted in and out of sleep. I kept the podcast on for the entirety of the episode, and soon fell asleep. It was a restless night, but I stayed asleep.

"Up!" My grandmother yelled, setting a mug of coffee on my nightstand, and taking a spray bottle to my face.

"Grandma! I'm up, I'm up!" I say, covering my face from the spray bottle, and wiping off the water that had landed on my face. I made a little fort under my blanket, away from the spray bottle and my grandma, to drink my coffee in peace. I had gotten up to my alarm fifteen minutes earlier, but had stayed in bed.

"Drink your coffee, and get dressed. We have to leave for school in ten minutes." My grandma said, ceasing fire.

"Okay, just give me a second." I say, taking sips of coffee in between grabbing a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and pair of socks. I ran to the back of my room, and around to the bathroom.

"Fuck!" I yell from the bathroom, I had forgotten to do my Biology homework last night. I walked out and slung my backpack grudgingly over my shoulder, and ran to the garage.

"Ready?" My grandfather asked, turning on the white Ford truck.

"Sure." I respond, pulling out my notebook and textbook for biology. I turn to the 142 page, the other 141 pages make a loud crash, falling to the book cover.

"Did you forget that last night?" He asked, looking down at an image of a prokaryote.

"Yup, but it's not much." I respond in a rushed manner.

"Don't kill yourself over it." my grandfather responded. Those words hit a sore spot for me.

"I won't." I respond, scribbling down a page of notes, trying to keep my mind off anything negative, but the thoughts kept rushing to the front of the line. They kept eating away at my mind.

We got to the high school in ten minutes, just enough time for me to shove the contents of my bag back in. I ran out the passenger door and slammed it shut. I waved to my grandfather, signaling him to leave the parking lot. I had to leave if I had any chance of making it out clean today.

"Hey!" Hannelore yelled from across the parking lot, waking me from my zombie like state.

"Oh." I say, my anxiety filling every hole of my mind.

"What wrong?" She asked, but I wasn't in the mood to give her a full answer.

"Anxiety." I say, immediately regretting telling her. I tried to walk away from her or fall back behind, but she wouldn't let me.