The Elementals

Chapter 3

[ooc;; yew! 2 readers! whoop whoop :) . this is actually huge for me as I'm pretty sure the ones on my other books were me but you two came up on my stats so you HAVE to be real haha. This has really motivated me to finally try and be more encouraged to write quicker. As you may have noticed I'm a little slack in that department. Anywho, just wanted to give my thanks and I hope you all like this chapter ^^ ] 

There was only one place she could go, and that was home. With great reluctance, Haylee began slowly picking her way through the streets, keeping to the shadows and brush when she could, all the while constantly looking over her shoulder. Realising a while ago that it would be good to change her appearance, as she fled for her life Haylee managed to tie her brown mess of hair into a high ponytail which she later stuffed under a cap she found in her school backpack. Dodgy, but it may save her from quick recognition. 

It took a heck of a lot longer then usual to get home because she may or may not have gotten lost (she likes to think it was on purpose to try and outsmart her hunters, but this girl has ZERO sense of direction. bless.), so she was relieved to finally see her dinky house in the fading daylight. Run down, a mess of rotting timber and peeling paint it wasn't the nicest looking shack but it was home. She had plans to leave once graduation came, maybe study in some big city - you know,  actually live her life. So much for that.

Some part of her wanted to believe that this was all some big mistake or misunderstanding. Maybe the government officials wanted nothing more then to ask her a question about someone else. Better yet, the lady may not have even been pointing to her. Still better to be safe then sorry she figured, picking her way around to the back of the house. She could hear the faint, unintelligible blabbering of the television from here, accompanied by the noisy ranting of people who have already had a little too much to drink. Great. 

Haylee's room was in the attic, which meant climbing up the rusty pipe and through the broken attic window. For a girl who has done this countless times, its much easier then it sounds. In no time flat she scaled the metal, using misplaced wooden planks as footholds to hoist herself up. Helps that shes been sneaking in and out like this since she was four. 

The familiar tickle of dust greeted her nose as she let out an exhausted sign. For the first time she wondered what Betty and Jarrod were doing, and if they knew what happened to her. They were probably worried sick. Maybe I should check my phone? Nah, there's no point right now. I need rest.

Laying down on her creaky single bed, it took no time at all to fall asleep. But it wasn't sleep,  not really,  for it was restless and full of nightmares of reaching hands and feelings of panic and running and oh my god they got her!  They had her and she was being dragged,  screaming for help but no-one could hear her.....

Haylee wakes up with a gasp, panting. False alarm!  You were just dreaming stupid. She 'reassured' herself,  shaking the vivid imaginings from her mind. A glance at her alarm clock only made her groan. Two hours?  That's all?? Checking her phone for good measure only proved two things. Yes, it was only two hours and she also had a crap tonne of missed calls.

"shoot" she whispered,  noting that about 34 were from Betty alone. better call her back. Maybe she could help me figure out if I'm crazy or not.

Clicking redial, the other end picked up almost immediately.

"Haylee!  Ohmigosh I'm so glad you're ok!" Betty's tone was rife with worry. "last thing Big Rod (Ha. That ones new)  and I saw there were these dudes in black suits we'd you were gone and we had no idea what happened... "

"woah Betty calm down!" she was speaking in overdrive now,  any second and it would be too fast to even understand.

"you need to tell me everything. Everything,  right now" she demanded.

"ok I will I promise. But I barely know what's happened myself" I begin,  just as Betty cuts me off

"no. In person. Right now" she urged. We are both at Timberwolf eatery. "Just get your butt down here and let's talk"
For some reason Haylee began to feel uneasy. A diner?  Now?  And she could have sworn she detected a note of actual anger. For someone usually do happy go lucky,  this was odd. Seriously Haylee, you're probably just paranoid. True. But she was also desperate to talk.

"ok fine. I'm coming"

"good" was her only reply before the line went dead.
Chucking a hoodie over her uniform,  in no time flat she was out of her room,  down the wall and into the cool night air.

About 20 minutes later she was at the diner. Timberwolf's was a popular restaurant with a classy retro vibe. At 8pm the place should have been swarming,  but oddly enough it looked dead. Not that that mattered as long as Betty and Jarrod were there.

When she reached the porch though she faltered. She had come here to talk,  but what the hell was she going to say?  Oh, hey guys. Nice weather we're having and funny story I could be an elemental?  You know,  the ones that a real dangerous and get killed every other week? Stuff it. Let's yolo this thing. Famous last words.

In through the doors she spotted her friends in the far corner booth. She smiled and offered a wave, but as her eyes met the unrecognisable cold glare of Betty's once cheery blue ones the grin was wiped off her mouth.

A storm. That was the only way to describe it; there was a thunderstorm brewing on her face, creating a look almost murderous. Jarrod just looked confused and shocked as he saw her,  but Haylee barely noticed. What the frick was going on.

"Betty are you okay...? " she asked tentatively.

"how dare you. How dare you lie to us. I thought you cared about us! " what began as a whisper ended as a yell, and yet all Haylee felt was a slap to the face. Here was a girl,  a girl she had grown up with,  a girl she thought she knew, looking at Haylee like she was a stranger.

"what on earth are you talking about Betty?" she asked.

"oh don't act so innocent. They already told be everything"

They?  Who's they? She wondered, just as figures emerged from the shadowy corners of Timberwolf's. Figures dressed in black suits. Oh no.

Of there was ever a time to panic,  it was now. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. They had come for her,  and they would take her.

One of the men nodded to another behind her. She didn't even know how they recognised each other to be honest - they all wore the same suit,  the same macho sunglasses and official looking gelled hair. She was going to be captured and killed by the hands of an unrecognisable noname. What an end.

Hearing footsteps,  Haylee closed her eyes. One,  to block out her view of Betty and Jarrod, but also because she was tired of this game. She waited for their next move.

And then suddenly he was behind her - she could feel his even breathe toying with the hair on the back of her neck. He grabbed her wrists as if to place them in cuffs,  but they never came. A look of mind confusion crossed over her face, which only increased as he spoke.

"on the count of three, I am going shove you at the door. That's when you run. I will distract them while you do,  and we will meet back at your house. They won't expect that."

His voice was so soft, but she heard every word. But before she could ask him what the heck was going on and why he knew where she lived (stalker alert much)  she felt her body being spun and shoved. She went flying towards entrance,  but managed to catch her footing in time to begin running. Again. For the third time today. Ugh. Before long adrenaline kicked in,  and she was off without a backwards glance. Who was that stranger?  Why did he save my life?  What the hell is happening?  All questions that would be answered in due time. But there was one fear that trumped every other thought. I really hope he makes it.

[Ooc;; woah that was a lot of writing. Sorry most of it is kinda boring. I have a plot for this story I swear but how it actually gets through it is up to the writing itself!  Anywho,  if you actually did end up enjoying please feel free to vote or comment. It would mean the world!  ^^ see ya next chapter :)]