The Perfect Crime

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 20

I followed the trail that Brenda sent me on. I ran. I ran like crazy. I couldn't let those people catch me. I don't know how long I ran for, but my legs burned like crazy. I couldn't walk anymore. I hate you, lactic acid!

I dropped down, needing a break. Food. Water. Anything! I took out the money and started counting it. There wasn't enough to rent a place to stay, but there was enough to buy food for a few weeks.

I sat on the floor for a few minutes, regaining my strength. Once the burning feeling in my legs subsided, I continued my journey.

I took it slow, enjoying nature at its best. The green leaves smothering out the blue, sunny sky, the slight breeze nipping at my sweaty skin and the light green grass that looked soft enough to roll around in.

Just as I was starting to appreciate everything around me, I caught the slight sound of a car speeding by. I increased my speed a little until I could see the end of the forest.

I slowed down as I neared the end. As I came out, there was a long stretch of tarred road. It went on for miles. I figured I would just hitchhike, but I would still walk while waiting for a car to pass.

----

The sun was dipping down and nightfall would soon come. A car passed by and I stuck my thumb out hoping they'd stop.

They didn't.

And neither did the others.

I really didn't want to walk anymore. I was tired and I stank. I really wanted to shower. And maybe eat a hot meal.

I was drained of energy and I couldn't see any lights nearby. I walked slowly, my shoulders drooping slightly and my arms loosely hanging beside me.

I would walk until it was completely dark and then I would go back into the forrest to sleep for the night. And then tomorrow my journey would continue.

Since it wasn't completely dark yet, I continued to walk. I could hear a car in the distance, but I didn't bother this time. I just looked ahead waiting for it to pass me.

Only it didn't. It stopped beside me. I turned to the side to see a red and blue pickup truck. The windows rolled down and I could see an old man behind the wheel.

"You need a ride?" he asked. I nodded, hesitantly, and he opened the door. I was sceptacle to get in, since he could be a psychopathic rapist, but I didn't have much of a choice, so I hopped in and prayed he was normal.

If I knew someone would stop if I pretended they weren't there, I would have done it a long time ago.

"You got a name?" he asked. He had grey hair and his brown beard had little flecks of white in them.

"Laine," I replied. I'm not a very good conversationalist and was shy among strangers.

"Well, Laine, I'm Jack."

Jack. That sounded like a nice person name. He seemed like a nice old man. Or maybe that's what he wanted me to think. Why else would he stop to pick me up. Its always the nice ones that are deranged.

"Thank you for stopping for me," I blurted out. "I'm grateful and all, but you didn't have-"

"You look like my granddaughter, Ilyana," he cut me off. "She's all I have left and I would hate for her to be in your situation."

"Thank you," I said softly.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

I debated on whether to tell him or not. I finally shook my head in response.

"You can stay with me and Yana. Its just to two of us. I know she'd like the company."

This was the best news I've heard all day, a bit unbelievable, but I couldn't just live off this stranger.

"No, I can't. I don't have enough money to pa-"

"Don't worry about that."

"No, I can't just live off you."

He didn't reply for a while as he seemed like he was deep in thought. I smile stretched on his face when he came up with a solution.

"Well, I own a diner, and you can work there if you really feel the need to pay me."

"Thank you! That sounds wonderful!" I was extremely grateful.

"Sleep now Laine, we still have a while until we reach."

I smiled, liking how things were looking up for me. I leant my head against the door window and closed my eyes.

"Laine, before you sleep," Jack said, "which pack are you from?"

------

After retelling my sob-fest story which no longer ends in sobs but rather anger, so more of an anger-fest, he let me sleep. Except now I couldn't sleep, although I really wanted to, but I have too many questions on my mind.

"How did you know I was a werewolf? Are you a werewolf?" It is possible to hide your scent, I don't know how. "What pack are you from? Are they nice? Would they let me join? I didn't really think there would be any packs here." I started rambling and I couldn't stop.

Jack just laughed.

"No, I'm not a werewolf. My wife was a werewolf and so I just picked up on a few telltale signs. And no, there aren't any packs around here, but its a good thing. You're free to be whoever you want to be."

"I didn't know we had signs," I said surprised. How come the hunters had not picked up on this.

"Well, maybe its just that you smell different to humans. Being a projector does have its perks."

"A projector? What's that?"

He sighed, "The werewolf education system has really gone down. What are they teaching you kids."

I leave out the fact that after the age of nine I only went to school for a few weeks. Although I finished the syllabus by myself and there wasn't anything about projectors.

I don't ask him to explain what a projector is because he soon tells me to sleep, and I'm too tired to object.

I soon fall asleep with excitement bubbling inside of me waiting to meet Ilyana.