wilderness | paul lahote

{16}

I woke up to someone playing with my hair. There he was, Paul. One arm under me as I lay on his warm bare chest. His other hand twirling a piece of my hair between his fingers, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Good morning sleepyhead," his voice still raspy, as if he'd just woken up.

I smiled. "Morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

I nodded as I closed my eyes again. Content in this moment. Just us two. I almost anticipated for someone to barge in through my door again, as they had that one morning. But it didn't happen. And I was ever so grateful for that.

I listened to his heart beat. So soothing. This all felt like it was meant to be. It felt more real than anything. In that moment, everything seemed to fall to place.

"I really don't want to leave, but I promised Sam." He said as he softly caressed my head.

"I don't want you to leave either," I whispered. "It gets cold without you." He chuckled. His body vibrating under my head.

"Will me coming back tonight make up for if I leave now?"

"Yes." I whispered as I slowly opened my eyes. I looked up at him, his eyes already on me. He looked calm. The calmest and most content I'd ever seen him. He smiled a small crooked smirk, before it was gone again.

"Let's get up now. I'm hungry." He said as I lifted my head off his body so he could get out, giggling. I laid back on the pillow, watching him get up and put his shoes on.

"Are you coming or are you planning on just staring?" He asked as he laughed. I scoffed as I rolled my eyes.

"I'll be right down. I'm gonna change my clothes." I said as I threw the blanket off of me and got up. He left, eager to eat. There was never a time when Paul, or the others, were not hungry. They were like human vacuums, but for food.

I got dressed, combed my hair and brushed my teeth before heading downstairs. Emily was reading a newspaper on the couch in the living room, while Sam and the others sat and ate breakfast. Jacob was here again too today.

I managed to grab something to bite before it was all gone. As they all got up and Sam went outside with Jared, Embry and Jake, Paul staid behind and walked up to me in the kitchen as I was done washing the dishes. I turned around and dried my hands, now facing him. He stood just inches away from me, his face unreadable again.

"Don't go into the forest, okay?"

"I promised. Remember?" I said as I looked up at him. Worry played on his face as he took a quick look at me and nodded. He took a small step forward and pushed a lock of my hair behind my ear ever so gently, still gazing into my eyes. His hand lingered on the side of my face as he moved closer, planting a kiss on my forehead.

"I'll be back tonight," he whispered as he walked away. Leaving me standing there, breathless in the middle of the small kitchen. My heart felt like jumping out of my chest.

Just then Emily walked in, rushing over to my side. "Are you okay?!" She questioned as she gently grabbed my shoulder, making me jump out of whatever haze I was in.

"Uhm, yeah." I said shaking my head. Outside the house, Paul's laugh could be faintly heard, along with Jared's.

Emily smiled at me as I now looked at her. "You looked like you saw a ghost or something, I got worried." She chuckled.

  I was sitting out on the front porch, looking out into the driveway. Everything was so calm. No wind, no rain, no sun. Just the clouds, the birds and the sound of the ocean somewhere further away.   

The day was going by so awfully slow. All I could think about was Paul. And as much as I liked him, I didn't like him taking up all of my thoughts. Emily had gone out, leaving me in the house alone again.

I wanted it to be the evening already. For Paul to come back as he had promised. I wanted to feel his presence, to see his smile again. I would've given anything to have him here again. I also would've given anything to get out of the house.

I got up from where I was sitting and started walking back into the house, yet something made me stop in my tracks. A car drove down the gravelly driveway. I was confused on why the boys or Emily were back already. If something had happened. 

I turned around and saw none other than the rusty Toyota coming to a stop in front of the house. Tears brimmed up in my eyes as I was frozen solid, staring at my uncle getting out of his car with an evil grin on his face. I gulped, panic taking over me, adrenaline bumping through my body. I ran into the house, slamming the door shut behind me.

I ran through the living room, stumbling against a chair that now fell on top of the small coffee table. My legs kept going, my conscious mind taking some time to process what I was doing and what was happening. I didn't dare look back. I didn't want to see him behind me, running after me. I did what I had thought was the best at that very moment, I ran out of the back door and into the woods. The only place I had felt safe at in moments like these. The only place I had promised Paul I wouldn't go to. 

My eyes were cloudy from the tears of anger and fear that had flooded down my face. The branches of bushes scraping my recently healed up skin. I could hear him running after me. I couldn't stop now. 

"Come back here you little bitch," he screamed after me, as we ran deeper and deeper through the towering trees. I hoped and prayed that he would give up. That he'd get tired or fall or realise that this all wouldn't be worth it.

Something caught my foot, making me fly down onto the ground, scraping my palms, my face and ripping the knees of my pants. I tried to get up, but my ankle was killing me. Yet through the adrenaline I somehow managed to get on my two feet again.

I ran until I felt safe enough. I hadn't heard him following behind me anymore. I fell to my knees. Heaving and panting through my lungs that felt as if they were about to collapse at any second. I brushed the wetness of the tears off my face with the backs of my dirty hands.

I found a large tree and sat with my back resting against its trunk. I closed my eyes, adrenaline and panic still surging through every inch of my body. Nothing in my logical thinking could explain to me why I had ran. I had never once been afraid of my uncle, but this time, flight overtook fight.

Sudden realisation had started to kick in now. The fact that I had broken the one promise I had made Paul. The fact that I was now all alone, deep in the woods, with something malicious lurking between these trees. And the fact that my uncle could possibly still be after me.

A crack echoing through the empty forest made me snap back to reality. As I opened my eyes, a figure stood in front of me. A woman, her hair a brilliant orange, flowing so magnificently in the wind. Her skin was pale as snow, yet in her odd beauty, there was something so incredibly haunting about her. The eyes, fiery red against her white skin, looking fiercely towards me.

a/n: i had something completely different planned at first but i got into a writers block and decided to change what i had written  so that is why there has been a delay in posting​, sorry bbys x