Runaway. || Luke Hemmings

Chapter 21

A hard, cold slam against my face.

That's what it was. I gasped in a breath of air, I couldn't even find my voice to scream for help. My mind instantly told me to run, to run far away from this place. But I knew if I ran, it'd be the same result. I'd still be killed either way.

I jumped over fences, puddles and climbed walls, not looking back. My breaths were heavy and were getting heavier, but I had to stay going in fear of getting caught. Blood was dripping from my stomach, and I held a shaky hand to my wound to seal it up even if it was just a little bit. Black spots were replacing my vision; if I was going to hide, I was going to have to do it soon.

I don't know where I got the energy from, maybe it was the fact that this could be my last couple of hours, minutes alive that somehow kept me going. But I was determined to make it out.

Alive.

He was far away now, but I could still hear his deep thick accent echoing in my head, his anger hitting me in the face, leaving me beaten. It felt fresh in my mind, and I doubt that I was going to forget it anytime soon.

Once I reached the wall, about twenty foot high in the outskirts of the town, I slid down against it, panting hard. I reluctantly peeked a look at my wound, it was large. A bloodied stripe down my stomach. My heart leapt and I let out a cry, this was never going to disappear. This was a mark to be there forever. Constantly reminding me of the pain and labour I had to endure with him. My hands were covered in my blood, deep red and full, just like a rose, the rose my dead friend, Zach, had given me for my 11th birthday. I don't think I could ever forget him. He was a hero, I should have listened to him, before it was too late. But we all know that always happens. We never fully appreciate something until it's gone.

A few moments later, a hollowing soumd echoed the place, and I stood up, frantically looking around. I didn't know what that was, and part of me really didn't ever want to find out. I could already guess what it was.

My breaths were quick and heavy, loud. I struggled to my weary feet and pushed myself to walk, despite my threatening injury that could weigh me down. But as I tripped along uneven ground, I thought: 'If there really is a God up there, show me.'

And then I fell to my knees, I was getting nowhere anyways. But I wasn't going to lose this. Not to pleasure somebody who caused me so much pain, even if it meant I had to torture myself, sacrafice myself. I lay sidewards and let my blood flow free from my stomach, my tears washed with them. Maybe he was hiding, waiting. Waiting to pounce once I had fallen.

-

I jolted awake, now free from the cage I had been trapped in moments before. With beads of sweat rolling down my forehead, my back, I pressed back my hair and swallowed, trying to slow my breaths. This wasn't easy. How was I supposed to live knowing that my past would haunt me in the present?

Memories from last night came flooding back, and I began to feel a hot flush invade my face as I pressed a palm to my cheek. I was right to pull away from Luke; I wasn't ready. I just didn't think he would make a move so quickly.

I glanced over, looking around for Luke. I couldn't see him anywhere. Anywhere.

"Luke?" I called shortly.

No answer, just the echo of my small voice bouncing off the forest walls. I got to my feet, steadied myself and took a few hesitant steps forward, towards the bath of evergreen in my path. Eyeing it up and down, I knew I shouldn't enter this place. But he wasn't at the water, anywhere. Anywhere near here, which was strange. I stepped forward, closed my eyes and thought to myself:

'This could be the thing I regret most.'

As my light footstep hit the crunchy ground, I heard a noise. I froze, my head switching from one side to the other. I swallowed, hard. I didn't know if I should run, or hide, or just stay completely still. I took a guess, my heart ravaging against my chest. The cool, growing wind wrapped its icy fingers around my arms, hooking onto the inside of my elbows, begging me to hold back, like some sort of... chain, clinging to me. Wrapping around my neck, curling slowly around my bare ankles like a shackle. I was trapped. Sucking in a large breath, I called his name, my voice falling crooked. "Luke!"

The distant sound of metal caused me to flinch to the left and my heart to pound even faster, riveting against my chest. What was happening? He wouldn't just... disappear like that. Something was wrong. And I knew that if I didn't find out what soon, things were going to get messy.

My bottom lip trembled as my mind fought with my conscience on what I should do:

Run, hide. He can save himself.

Look for him. He's in trouble, and they're torturing him.

The wind picked up, and I glanced around; I felt as if I was in some sort of three-dimensional universe. Trapped inside a glass box, the walls shielding me from saving those I need. Those I love.

I heard a scream, and did not hesitate once to run; my sprint setting off from the right foot. Cries of pain, agony, wrenching into my gut. And only then did I reach the tree, the screeching noise faded out.

I calmed myself although I was panting, and grabbed the nearest tree trunk for support. Once I caught my breath, I reluctantly began walking towards the direction of the screams I heard moments before, I had to find out what happened, and I needed to know who the hell was lurking around.

Step after step brought me closer, and as I neared the location, I stopped dead in my tracks, the twist in my stomach feeling like it was pulling all the oxygen from my limp body.

It was a black lump.

A body crumpled over to the side.

All I could hear was the pounding of blood in my ears, everything else was gone; the sharp, whistling wind, the eery atmosphere, the screaming voice in my head telling me to stop.

My heart was racing at 100 miles a minute, and I instantly knew that I didn't want to look.

I already knew.

But I caught a glimpse of a face from about 10 yards back, and I felt as if lightning struck me.

I screamed, shaking fingers running through my hair, streams, rivers, oceans immediately flooding down my cheeks.

I screamed no, this couldn't be happening.

I dropped to my knees, my body collapsing, shutting down, horrified cries rattling my body from head to toe.

It was Natalia.

Laying dead with her left arm laying under her head. Stiff and cold. Gone. And right now, I felt as if a whole chunk of my heart was ripped from my chest, along with my oxygen, my blood and my reason to continue. I lay in puddles of tears, hoping that maybe I would drown in them and join Natalia, wherever she was right now. Uneven breaths constantly caught in my throat as I crawled over to her body and collapsed my own on top of it, trying to get as close to her as I possibly could. But I already knew. She was gone. And she wasn't coming back. And right then, I swore I would never feel a pain as painful as that moment.

~

Hey! I'm really, sorry that I took like a month to update I have like no time cuz school and shit like that but I am trying to catch up on the book so I hope you still read it lol :(

But please vote/comment and tell me what you think because I literally wrote this in like half an hour.....I hopw its alright for youuuu and I hope you stay reading sorry its so short, I'm trying to come up with ideas♥ ily