Alone and Unafraid

Chapter One

"Happy New Years!" The bar echoed, couples kissed and celebrators sang, but I just downed another shot of tequila.

"Alone tonight?" the scruffy bartender asked, pouring me another shot. I looked up at him with curioious and angered look, "I take that as a yes," He wiped his hands on his dirty green apron and headed somewhere in the back.

"Hey there sexy lady," I heard a familiar voice approach me from behind.

"Go away, Marcus." I turned to the grinning man at my side.

"Oh, come on. It's New Years! Have a little fun." He said, tugging on my arm. Marcus, my best friend of eight years still doesn't know when to leave a girl alone.

"Marcus, I don't want to talk to anyone right now." I turned my head away from him, facing the happy couples beside me.

"Oh, don't tell me you're upset because of Ben, are ya?" He playfully punched my shoulder.

"No, of course I'm not mad at Ben for cheating on me three weeks before our wedding... That would be RIDICULOUS."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot he cheated on you. Hey! At least you don't have to worry about settling down. Why don't you try picking up a hottie?"

"Because, Marc, I have no interest in sleeping around. Besides, it's not like I have anywhere to take them. Where am I gonna have sex; my parents house?" Before he could respond I lifted myself off of my stool and squeezed through the crowd of drunken idiots in my way until I reached an exit. "Fuck..." I muttered. I had realized I had driven here, and I was WAY too tipsy to get behind the wheel, and I hadn't brought my cell phone to call a taxi. I sure as hell wasn't going back in there to get one. "Guess I'll walk."

I had been walking for about an hour when a car slowed next to me, fear crept up my face as the driver followed slowly, keeping my speed as I walked faster.

My speed had been brought up to a sprint as I tried to find a way to flee from the darkened vehicle. I ran off of the road and into the forest close by, hiding behind a tree when the vehicle stopped completely. I heard the door slam as I pressed myself closer into the small trunk behind me.

I heard a horrible raspy whisper next to my ear, "It's time for you to join us, Annalyn." Then everything turned black.