UnKnown(PUBLISHED)

Two

When the phone was disconnected, I sprinted out of the school and toward my house.

"Arianna, slow down! ARIANNA!" Rylan shouted as he followed me toward the house. Rylan had somehow caught up to me behind my trail. Throwing open the door, I stepped inside.

"Mom! Dad!" I shouted, starting to look around the house. The living room had been torn apart. The pillows were scattered everywhere, the couches were flipped over, and the television had been smashed. I didn't go into the kitchen but ran up the stairs with Rylan behind me. He didn't say anything, nor did he try to stop me from doing anything, as he, too, was now shocked and worried about what was going on. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest any minute. I looked in every room and bathroom, but no sign of my parents. Everything was scattered across the rooms, and objects were broken.

"What's going on?" Rylan asked, softly standing beside me. I placed my hands over my mouth in an attempt to stifle my cries as I fell to the ground, pulling my knees up to my chest. Rylan quickly pulled me into a hug, cradling me.

"M-my parents called...." I choked out, removing my hands from my mouth. "They sounded scared and almost out of breath. They told me to run, run far away. Someone is after me, someone that I don't know about. My parents told me they were hiding information from me, important information. I last heard this loud crash and an unfamiliar voice saying she was coming for me."

"So, it's a girl? She must have taken your parents. We need to find them, but first, we must get out of here." Rylan soothingly stroked my hair. I sniffled, wiping away any of the tears that had spilled.

"We?" I questioned, looking at him. Rylan smiled, standing up as he held out his hand.

"Wherever you go, I'm coming. We're going to run together. I'm going to protect you."

"Thank you..." I grabbed his hand, jumping up from my spot on the ground. "But you're insane if you'll be coming with me."

"I'm an insane person. Pack anything that has not gotten destroyed yet, and let's get the hell out of here." He shrugged his shoulders.

I looked around my room, seeing that not everything was destroyed, but the essential items that were damaged did make me upset. I pulled out a bag, packing some clothes that were still left behind, my charger, a few pictures of my family, and other objects that were still intact. Wandering around the house, I hoped that my parents were okay and that whoever was after me would soon disappear.

Walking out of the house, I noticed that Rylan had already left and got his car from the school. I must have been taking a while inside for him to get his car that quick.

"I'm ready..." I mumbled, making my way toward the car. Rylan patted me on the back, nodding.

"It's going to be okay. I'm here." He smiled before opening the door for me. Once I was inside and buckled in, he got into the car and started to drive away as I stared at the house, watching it disappear from view.

"Where should we go? It's going to be a long journey." He looked over at me. I averted my gaze away from the window and looked at him instead.

"Don't you need some things too? What about your parents and the fact that we would probably have to go out of town, like back to my hometown? Maybe that's where my parents are."

"I'll just tell my parents something.... yes, it might not go as well, but you need me, Arianna, and I am not leaving you at a time like this. This is so bizarre." Rylan said, shaking his head as he pulled up to his house. "They're not home at the moment. I'll pack a few things and then leave a note. Stay here, I won't be long." He got out of the car and inside the house.