“Your mother lied to you. That’s the truth,” Ian said. I sat on the side of my bed,
wondering why she would lie to me. “Autumn? Are you okay?” Ian was still there.
“Nnot
really, it’s ju”
I feel a hand grab my face and they cover my mouth. They pull
me through the window with them. My back hits hard on the window sill and my arm hits a
branch of the tree next to my window. When did they even open my window? My eyes shut,
and as I open them again, I see a face. Screams jump around in my head, thinking of what
would happen now. Now that he’s here and has me at his fingertips.
Nathan Jacob.
“Honey, go to sleep,” my mom says. She doesn’t even realize that I’m not in my
room.
I look to see my phone on my bed, and hearing the slight sound of Ian trying to get to
me. Tears start coming on and realize I have to get away.
“So, did you miss me Autumn?” he says with his creepy smile. I couldn’t say a word.
What was I supposed to do? He starts playing with my hair. “Ya know I love you, and that
we will be together forever from now on.” After a while Nathan hasn’t said anything .
I hear Ians car pull up, I looked around to find a way for Nathan to release me. A toy
arrow I shot in the oak tree the other day was still there and the string, that I connected to it,
was right next to my foot. Hell yeah. It was also pretty heavy and pointy. I reached for the
string and dragged it a bit closer and pulled it with both feet.
Nathan still didn’t realize a thing. It swings down and the bottom part hits Nathans
back. “Ouch!” Nathan screams, as he lets me go. I run straight to Ians car and get in.
1
“Wait, what!? I came to check on you, to see if you're okay. What happened? Is
Nathan here?” Ian said as he looked around.
“Just drive.”
“Bu”
“I’ll explain later.” Ian looks at me with concern. He turns his keys to start the truck.
“Get back here you little shi”
The trucks interrupts Nathan’s shouting as it starts. We
take off. Nathan runs to his motorcycle and comes after us.
Eventually, we lose him, he’s out of sight. “So?” asked Ian. “What happened?”
“Well,” I started. “I was talking with you on the phone , when all of a sudden Nathan
grabs my face and pulls me through my windo”
“How did you not notice he opened your window?!” Ian said upset.
“I’m sorry! I don’t know how, or when! It just…. happened.”
“What else happened?”
“Then Nathan was asking things like if I missed him, and saying we’ll be together
forever. That kind of shitty stuff.”
“Oh my gosh!” Ian shouted noticing my arm. “Are you okay? Why are you bruised
and cut?!” he says as he grabs my arms.
“I’m fine! Just calm down.” I said. “Everything will be fine.”
“You don’t know that. Anything could happen.”
About an hour passes and I have no idea where Ian’s going,
and we need to find a safe place to stay. What Ian said is true. Anything could happen. And
my mom lied to me about Nathan. I could get hurt, or even di-
2
“Where are we going,” Ian says interrupting my thoughts. How should I know. I can’t
tell where we are, I thought.
“Someplace,” I just said. “As far as we can go, so he can’t find us. Just for a few
days or weeks.”
“Hey, you should call your mom.”
“No! She can’t know this happened.”
“Why not?” he asked.
“Do you know where we are?” I said trying to get the topic off my mom.
“Yeah, that barn we used to go to as kids close by, lets go.” I looked back just to feel
safe. He wasn’t there. I sighed a slight sigh of relief. Nothing’s over until he’s gone. Forever.
We pull up to the barn. I remember the times when we had so much fun playing with
the animals that stayed here, and playing pranks on Lilly.
Lilly was my best friend along with Ian. We all grew up together and did everything
on each others side. But one day Lilly got very sick, she couldn’t take it anymore and
committed suicide. She had some disease but I never wanted to find out what it was.
“Ah, it’s nice to actually see this place again.” Ian said. We got out of the truck and
walked into the barn, up the little stairs, and to the window. Everything was dark and
gloomy, but still in an amazing way.
“I wish we could be here forever,” I mentioned. Ian didn’t say anything. Instead he just
sat on a big hunk of hay, and patted the space next to him, intending I should sit. I lay down,
and stare at the ceiling. Ian does the same. I see the sun rising, my mom should be
freaking out soon. I then lay on my side, facing away from Ian. What feels like hours pass,
3
and I find myself falling asleep.
I open my eyes. The ceiling was different. I try to reach and rub my eyes. My hands
were chained, my mouth, covered with something, but I can’t see it so I’m not sure what is
was, my feet are chained as well. I was on some gurneytypething,
and was strapped to it. I
see Ian on the floor, he’s obviously hurt. My eyes focus a bit more and I realize he’s bruised,
bloody, and cut up. That’s when I started to freak out. I felt guilty, and like I wanted to cry. I
didn’t. I tried to break free. nothing worked. I just ended up squealing hoping someone
would hear. I might be deep in some hole anyway so that was no use. I didn’t know what
else to do. I heard some foot steps heading toward the door. The door creaks open and
the person heads to me. Nathans bloody and bruised face looks down over me. What
happened between them? Will Ian be okay?
“Did you really think you could hide from me?” he said quietly. He starts to shout,
“Did you really think!”
he stopped for a moment, then said so sad and almost scared like,
“that I wouldn’t find you?” I wanted to spit in his face. I really thought he would never find us.
Yet, he did. “Well? Did you?” No. I thought. “I found you!” he yelled. “So what are you gonna
do now huh?” I know he won’t ever let me leave, but I have to try to get away. Right? I could
kill him. Ya know, for selfdefense.
Or I could go to the cops, but they might just put him in
jail. I want him dead.
I notice something moving from behind Nathan, but my vision is still blurry. I can’t see
barely a thing.
“Kill you.” Ian said as he comes toward nathan with a shovel.
“What the fu?”
BAM. Ian hits Nathan in the back of the head with the shovel. Except
4
I think he’s only knocked out not dead.
“Are you okay Autumn?” Ian says as he quickly comes to free me. I nod. After
everything is off I check Nathans pulse he’s still alive.
Ian grabs the shovel to beat Nathan to a pulp. I stop him. “I wanted him dead too, but
maybe we should just send him to the cops,” I said.
“Alright, whatever you please.” We head back to my house.
I open the door. “Mom?”
“Yes?” She was in the kitchen. Did she not realize I was gone this whole time? “Did
you go with Ian somewhere today, how was it? Where did you go?” she asked.
“Yeah, the barn,” I replied. “It was nice.” I can’t tell her what happened, she’ll feel
guilty and freak. It’s for her own good.
“Oooh, how fun, I’m glad it was nice.” Ian just stood there.
“I’ll be right back mom, we’re going to Ian’s house. I just stopped by to get my phone,
I left it here.”
“Oh, it’s on the counter, I went to check on you this morning and I saw your phone. I
assumed you were with Ian because I saw his car window sticker in the grass by the
driveway. Ya know the one with... ” I stopped listening. Wow mom, what a great way to
keep track of your kid. When she stopped talking, I nodded and headed to my room just
around the corner, Ian followed. I grabbed my phone, and we walked out the door.
“Bye Ms.Bell,” Ian shouted.
“Bye mom.”
“Goodbye, come home no later than 10, okay dear?”
5
“Yes ma’am,” I replied. I shut the door and we got in the truck. Before I shut the door I
saw the window sticker in the grass. I picked it up and put it on the back window. Then got
in and shut the door. “Lets take Nathan to the cops.”
“I thought we were going to my house?” Ian said grinning.
“Idiot,” we both laughed. When we got to the police station, we turned Nathan in.
Then we left back to my house. We got out of the car and waited by the door. I don’t know
what for. Then Ian leaned in and kissed me. He whispered something. Then he ran off to his
truck and left. I stood there. Then, like a sloth, I slowly went inside, to my room, and fell on
my bed.
“Honey,” my mom said. “Are you alright.”
With my face in my pillow. “Yes,” I murmured.
“Okay, going to bed?”
“Yeah.”
She went upstairs to her room and went to sleep. My moms lie still exasperates me,
I wish she never said Nathan was dead. Then maybe today wouldn’t have happened, I’d be
more careful. Ian actually kissed me, just because she told that stupid lie. Now, Nathan’s in
jail, and probably will be there for life. So, I’m all good, for now.
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