The Free (Unedited)

Taken

Lindsay’s POV

(After she walked away from Laura)

I all but stormed into the bookstore. Why couldn’t she just listen to me, I wondered, going to my favorite novels of all time. I took The Killer of the Minds in the Young off the shelf. How I loved horror when I was in a bad mood.

“Huh, I would’ve pegged you as philosophical,” a voice came from behind me.

“I am when I want to be,” I retorted.

I felt breathing on the back of my neck, but I refused to turn around.

“You better back up before I hurt you,” I warned.

The body immediately moved back.

I turned around, and, standing in front of me, was a man of about 6 feet, wide chested and muscular, with deep brown eyes and a short, dark hair. I immediately shivered, feeling uncomfortable, scared, and excited all at once.

I took a quick breath. “You know this book is psychological right?” I asked him, staring him straight in the eyes.

“Never read it,” he dismissed.

“Ok then. Well, I’m going to read,” I said finding a nearby chair to sit down in.

He followed. “Don’t mind me.”

“You need to back away before I report you,” I said, opening my book.

“What do you think, I’m stalking you?” he asked. “No, I’m just browsing books.”

“Children’s books,” I deadpanned.

“For me niece,” he replied easily.

I dismissed him and immersed myself in my book for a few good hours, forgetting about the spat I had with Laura earlier. When I was finished reading, I bought the book and went to dinner. My stomach was growling.

I stopped at Subway, grabbing a small meal and heading for the food court and finding a small, empty table to eat at. It was way after the time I usually ate, but I wasn’t all that hungry. I ate in peace until I heard a chair slide out from the other end of the table.

“Hey,” the soft familiar voice of Amber came across the table.

I looked up, and was going to say “hey,” but what I saw stopped me in my tracks.

There wasn’t really any marks on her. Her body looked fine actually, except from some marks here and there, but it was really what I saw in her eyes that made my voice die.

Her eyes looked tired, haunted, like some shit had gone down while I was away from school. She radiated melancholy, even though she had a fake smile plastered on to her face.

“What are you staring at?” came the detached voice, trying to sound concerned.

I snapped awake at that. “Oh, sorry, my thoughts just dragged me away,” I said weakly.

“Your euphemisms make no sense,” Amber joked, placing a hand over mine.

“I know,” I sighed, turning back to my food.

“Ho-how have you been?” Amber stuttered nervously, her head whipping around the food court.

“What are you staring at?” I asked, looking around too.

“ U-um n-nothing,” she said try and failing to chill out.

I leaned over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Chill out,” I said calmly. Her head whipped back around to me. I noticed she was shaking.