Cast The Die

Chapter Thirty-Eight

By 8.30pm, my Mum had already gone to bed, I don't think she'd slept for over a week. She had to call the police to tell them I was no longer missing, I told her to tell them I ran away from home because I'm a teenage girl with an "I hate my parents" attitude. They didn't need to know the real reason, neither of us wanted the whole town to know about Dad.

I had myself a hot bubble bath and put on some fresh pyjamas. I took the phone from downstairs to call Jen, when she answered the phone she was hysterical, we both were. I didn't know how much I needed to hear her voice. She begged to come and see me tomorrow so I could tell her everything, but for now she was just glad that I was home safe. I still hadn't decided if I was going to tell her the real story. As I put the phone down it started to ring straight away. I thought it was Jen ringing back as a joke to make sure I was still here.

"Hello" I answered.

"Macey?" Cole's voice gave me butterflies throughout my whole body.

"Cole? Cole is that you?" I asked.

"Macey listen to me. You and your Mum need to leave town. You need to leave now!" he shouted.

"What's going on? What's happening?" I asked, my heart racing.

"Just do as I say!" he shouted, this time it was louder. "Pack a bag, I'll be there in ten minutes" he said. I was terrified but at the same time I couldn't help but feel excited that I was going to see him again. He hung up the phone, so I did exactly as he said.

I woke my Mum and explained what was happening, not that I actually knew anything, but we got dressed, packed our bags anyway and headed downstairs. As I was packing my bag, I listed things that I wished I had when I was at the log cabin, my own clothes, clean underwear, my own toothbrush, my own hairbrush, my favourite book, my iPod and the charger. I picked up Cole's t-shirt that I was wearing when I got home, I was going to throw it in the washing basket, but I decided to pack it, like it was my comfort blanket.

I heard his car pull up outside and then a knock at the door. I hoped he would wrap his arms around me and lift me into his embrace when I opened the door, but instead he ran into the house and shut the door behind him.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" I asked watching him storm into the living room.

"When I went to Jon's apartment, his body was just lying there, in the middle of the floor in a pool of blood. He lost his life because he helped me" he said quietly. "Jon's dead. He fucking shot him" he said, peering from behind the curtain onto the road where his car is parked. "They're coming after you. They went after my fucking Mum and brother, trashed the whole house" he said through gritted teeth.

"What happened? Are they okay?" I asked. My Mum is silently stood in the doorway, listening to every word.

"I told them to leave town, they're fine" he said. "But now they're coming after you" he walked over to me, we were stood inches apart and his eyes met mine. "And I can't let that happen"

"What are we supposed to do? Why me? This doesn't make any sense" I said.

"Vinnie is pissed that I helped you escape. Gregory has his money and he still has your Dad wrapped around his little finger, so he's happy. But Vinnie's always had it in for me, this isn't about business anymore, it's personal and he doesn't give a shit, he'll kill anyone in his way!" he explained.

"Where are we supposed to go? We can just run away and hide forever!" I said, looking back at my Mum.

"I don't know but we need to leave now!" he said.