Stranger's Eyes

Chapter 6

I awoke to a loud voice in the background, it sounded angry. Tyler came running down the stairs, face looking worried.

"What is it?" I trembled. I already knew the answer.

"It's time." He glared.

"It's time to leave here."

Those words sent shivers down my spine. A cold wave rippled around my body. Tears started trickling down my face.

I knew this day would come at some point, but I just didn't feel ready. I'd not long been back at the cottage. I wasn't ready to face what was coming, and I didn't want to leave this place. Not yet. I wanted more time to sit by the fire, and hide in this little haven that now felt like home. I wanted to work out what Tyler meant before when he said he felt close to me. I felt something too. I didn't want to face my uncertain future. Not yet. I just wanted one more day with Tyler in our routine that we had going, hiding away from the world. What if Eli wanted to get rid of me, after all this?

Tyler knelt down beside me, and put his hand on my arm. How could he just deliver me to Eli, knowing that i'd get hurt or worse.

"Look, I promise i'll do whatever I can to protect you, I don't know what he has planned, but.."

"How can you say that?!" I shouted. "Your'e on their side, you're the enemy too!" I screamed. Tyler looked at me, like he was confused.

"I know..., listen to me." His hand reached out to my face, and gripped it gently in his palm.

"I wont let them hurt you." He stared into my eyes intently, and wiped a tear from my eye. "If he wanted you dead, you would have been dead a long time ago.

"Please, trust me." He said. But trust was not a word I was willing to part with right now.

"We have to go right now, he's waiting." His hand gripped my hand, and gently pulled me up and lead me towards the door. "Put this on." He handed me a jacket. As I put it on, I took one last look at the little cottage, the place i'd been in for so long. It felt so strange to be leaving. I'd grown so use to it, this cosy place that must have a thousand hidden stories in it. I'd got used to the way it smelt, the cold creeping upstairs at night, the wind howling. I'd got use to Tyler.

Outside was the same black car that had driven me here. Tyler opened the passenger door and I stepped in. I had no control over what would happen next, and where this car would take me. It felt like stepping into the car was me agreeing to it. It felt wrong.

Tyler started the car, and drove off slowly, driving down a narrow and winding path, passing the dark forest I was huddled in not too long ago. The sky was grey, and dull, but as we crept further down the unsteady road, a beautiful mountain appeared, and the sun started to break through the clouds perched above the mountain top. It was phenomenal, and beautiful. I had no idea that this was where i'd been hiding all this time. It seemed even more wrong now, that i'd been locked away in such a beautiful place.

I also felt annoyed that i'd allowed myself to hide away in my own home too when there was a whole world out there waiting to be explored. And now I might never get that chance. My eyes watered as I fought back more tears. I wanted to look strong, I'd had enough of being scared and timid. Ty noticed and looked over.

"Try to keep calm."

My heart ached, and felt heavy, and my throat tightened. Fear dissipated, and all that was left was a numbing sadness.

We were now down the mountain, passing the other, and into a nearby town.

We were passing shops now, and people. People going about their day, smiling and laughing, drinking coffee, and they had no idea who was in this car, and where we were going.