“Bye, Annie,” Zell said quietly, and without even turning to say it to my face, he opened the door and left.
He must be furious with me.
In my dreams that night, I was running through a fog calling for Zell.
“Annie, Annie,” Zell called out in return.
I moved toward the sound of his voice, but I still could not find him. I stumbled weeping through the fog. The sound of my sobs echoed in the darkness.
“Annie, stay with your friends. Never be anywhere alone.” I could hear Zell’s voice whispering through the gray folds of the fog.
“Zell, please don’t leave me. I’m sorry,” I cried out.
“Everything will be fine. Just don’t ever . . . ever go anywhere alone. Stay with your friends. Stay in big crowds. . . Annie,” his voice whispered through the fog again.
“Where are you?” I cried out. “Please come back.”
For the first time since I have been aware of his presence, Zell was not there when I woke in a heated sweat from my nightmare. I was alone.
9. JON
THE NEXT DAY WAS WORSE. RAIN BLURRED
my world to a dull gray like the fog from my nightmares. Reality was even darker. Zell didn’t show up at my house the previous night to check on me or the next morning. In a mood as dark as the clouds above, I asked my dad to drive me to school as I had left my Tahoe at school when Zell brought me home. Jon was in my face as soon as I got out of my car.
“What’s up Annie? I tried to call you all night.”
“Sorry Jonny. I fell outside the gym last night and cut my elbows all up. I went to bed early.”
“Who is this guy you’re hanging out with Annie?’ Jon yelled at me. “I hit him yesterday, and it was like hitting a wall. It wasn’t natural Annie. Who is he? What is he?”
“Thanks for asking how I’m feeling. You shouldn’t have hit him,” I answered wearily. “Zell didn’t do anything to you. He was just protecting me.”
“Since when do you need protection?”
“I don’t. Zell just seems to think I do.”
“Zell, Zell, Zell,” Jonny mocked. “I’m getting sick of hearing his name. What kind of name is Zell anyway?”
“An old family name,” I retorted beginning to get angry at him.
“Where is his family, Annie? No one has seen any of his family.”
“I have seen his father. He is here with him. Zell and his father have a home on Lake Lanier,” I said reversing the roles and defending Zell for a change. Zell did say his housekeeper and assistant pose as his parents. Didn’t he?
“Oh, so big, bad Zell has already taken you to meet the parents?” Jon asked not believing me.
“Drop dead,” I replied coldly pushing past Jon. I stomped off in a huff across the parking lot.
“You’ll be sorry you ever met him when I’m finished,” Jon yelled after me.
My blood chilled when Jon said those words. I stopped and turned to look at him. His face was dark and brooding. His voice . . . His voice was different. He sounded so malevolent. His voice reminded me of another voice, but I couldn’t place where I had heard it. Was it a voice from my nightmares, or had I actually heard it somewhere? I couldn’t be sure, but I was shaking from the sound of it.
Zell wasn’t in homeroom. Everyone was asking me where he was. I wondered where he was too. I was worried. Maybe he had given up on me and returned to wherever he came from. Where did he come from? I knew the Europe story he told everyone at school, but was that true? I didn’t even know for sure.
What if Zell had gone? What would I do the next time a Dark One attacked without him? I didn’t dare leave the company of friends without Zell here. I would not be cutting across back lots or staying late for ball practice anymore. Had Zell said something about the Dark Ones would not attack if there were other humans around? I searched my memory, but I could not be sure if he made that statement or if I dreamed that he did. The agonizing day drug by. It was then that I realized he had completely changed my world.
The realization left me empty. Zell had gone. I was sure of it. He had left me, the silly high school senior, who argued with him at every turn. The girl who was determined to do things her way despite the danger it put them both in. He left her at the mercy of the Dark Ones who hunted her watching and waiting because they knew she would not obey him. Her stubbornness and reckless behavior would soon give them their chance to do their master’s bidding.
I walked in English class and dropped my books on my desk. With a thud, I dropped my head on top of my books, and I sat there listening to Mrs. Edge’s voice drone on and on about figurative language. I expected Mrs. Edge to order me out of the classroom and to the office for having my head on my desk, so I tried to will myself to lift my head. It was of no use. The light of my short existence had walked out of my life, and I was doomed. A frantic, maniacal laughter threatened to spill out over my lips, as I thought about how drastically my life had changed in the last couple of weeks. I had changed from an independent, light-hearted, foolish girl to a somber, head over heels in love teenager with a mission in a week. What was that thought that still swirled around in my head? Head over heels in love? Was it true? If I were honest, it must be true. I had just admitted to being in love with Zell if only to myself. The thought of never seeing him again broke my heart. I groaned, and Mrs. Edge walked my way.
“Are you ill, Annie?” Mrs. Edge bent over me concerned. She was concerned because this person with her head down on her desk groaning was not the light-hearted, fun loving, high-spirited Annie Hayes everyone knew.
“Yesss.” I groaned.
“Why don’t you go to the school nurse’s office, and see if there is anything she can do for you,” Mrs. Edge whispered privately to me.
“No, I can’t leave,” I groaned again not turning my head to look at Mrs. Edge. Knowing I could not be caught alone in an empty stair well by a Dark One, I thought it best to stay put. Stay with the crowd Zell said. Had he said that? Perhaps, it was just in a dream.
Mrs. Edge thinking it must be one of those girly ailments decided it was best to leave me alone and quietly left me.
Lunch was a nightmare. When Jon saw that Zell was not with me, he hurried to sit at my table. I could not eat. I was too upset. Kate and I sat huddled together speculating on what had happened to Zell. I had two fears. The first fear was that Zell had sickened of my rebellious attitude and left me forever. The second fear was that the Dark Ones had come for him. With Zell out of the way, I was an easy target.
“Where’s your new boyfriend, Annie?” Jon asked sitting down across the table from Kate and me.
“I don’t have a boyfriend, but if you are referring to Zell, I’m not sure. Maybe he is home sick today.”
“Oh really,” Jon remarked, “Are you sure you haven’t just dumped him already.”
“Hardly,” I replied icily.
“Well, then, perhaps he has dumped you,” Jon said sarcastically.
“Get lost, Jon.” I snarled turning my back on him and resuming my conversation with Kate.
However, Jon didn’t give up so easily.
“Really, Annie, if you and Zell have split, then I want you back.”
I rolled my eyes at Kate not even bothering to turn around or respond to him. Jon reached over and grabbed my hand.
“Please Annie.”
Jerking my hand out of Jon’s grasp, I faced him.
“Leave me alone. Jon, I’m sorry, but we were never going together. You assumed that I was your girlfriend, and you were the closest thing to a boyfriend that I have ever had. Zell and I have not split. We are still friends just like you and I are still friends, but you and I are not exclusive. Zell is my friend now too, and I don’t want to give either of you up.”
“Then dump the jerk if you want to be with me. I won’t share you,” Jon hatefully spit out the words.
“Zell is not a jerk. He has been wonderful to me,” my voice broke on the word wonderful. Tears sprang to my eyes
. I was angry with myself. I did not want to show any weakness to Jon, and here I was almost in tears.
“Ha, I knew it. There is trouble in paradise,” Jon taunted seeing the tears in my eyes.
“You have no idea what you are talking about,” I spouted back at Jon. I’ll see you at basketball practice, Kate.” I smiled at Kate as I rose from the crowded lunch table. Then turning to Jon, I locked eyes with him giving him the coldest stare that I could muster. Kate peered around me and made a face at him too.
Walking past him, the lunch room suddenly seemed stifling. I hurried outside. I needed some fresh air. I needed to breathe. I leaned against the exterior wall and inhaled deep breaths of air. Was Jon right? Had Zell dumped me? Where was he? I closed my eyes and squeezed the tears back in. I would not cry here at school. I had to find out where Zell was. I had to. I had to know. Had Zell given up on me? Was he hurt, dead or dying?
My chest began to heave and hurt at just the thought. I have to go to him. I have to find out. A group of students came out of the cafeteria door laughing and talking. I began to walk behind them toward the school office. I would sign out sick. I was sick, heartsick. Thankfully, Mrs. Woods was at lunch, and I would not have to go through an inquisition. There was only a student aide in the office. I quickly signed out and pulled the keys to my car out of my bag.
“Leaving so soon?” I heard the voice as I was pulling open the door to my Tahoe. I stopped, took a deep breath, and turned facing Jon.
“I’m not feeling well. I’m going home.” I was sure the pallor of my face supported my statement.
“I bet you’re not going home. I bet you’re going to him,” Jon snarled.
“If I am, it is none of your business,” I snarled back at him.
“I totally disagree,” Jon stated coldly reaching around me and slamming my car door shut. Roughly, he grabbed my arms and pulled me to him. He tried to press his lips to mine, and I turned my face so quickly that his lips ended up kissing where my hair covered my ear. The bully in Jon reared its ugly head. He began dragging me toward his truck.
“Stop Jonny, you’re hurting me,” I gasped. Jon ignored my pleas and continued to drag me across the parking lot.
When Jon turned to look back at me, I became frightened. The same black look clouded his face as it had this morning. I started to fight back planting my feet and leaning my weight to the rear. Unfortunately, the bottoms of my shoes were slick, and they would not stay planted. Jon was pulling me along as I tried to hit him with my free hand. The blows that connected were weak as I was trying to swing at him across my body. My arm closest to him was firmly entrenched in his grip. At his car, he slowed. I got lucky and landed a hard lick to his chin. I could see the fury in his eyes. He slammed his keys on the roof. Jon took his free hand and grabbed me by the throat. My backpack dropped to the ground.
“Not even Zell will want you when I’m finished with you,” Jon growled. His hand left my throat, and I gasped for air, choking and gagging. Jon grabbed me by the hair and threw me in the passenger seat of his truck. I landed face first with my upper torso on the seat, and my lower half dangled off the edge of the seat. He twisted the arm he had locked in his grasp and pulled it behind my back. As he did so, he reached for my other arm twisting it behind too. Holding both my wrists in just one of his big hands, he pulled off his belt and wrapped it around my wrists. Then he picked up my feet that were hanging half out of the door and threw them inside slamming the door as he did so.
I was in an awkward position with my face pressed in the crevice where the back and the seat met. I tried to find something solid against which to place my feet hoping I could push myself up. Finally, managing to get my feet against the door, I pushed with my feet and with my head against the back of the seat inching myself upward. I gave a final push with my shoulder turning myself as I did so. I was upright again.
“This is kidnapping Jon,” I ground out between clenched teeth.
“Really, who says?” he replied looking at me smiling. “You’re my girl. I’ll say you went voluntarily. Your word against mine.”
“You’re going to pay for this,” I breathed heavily.
“Really, am I?”
“And I'm not your girl,” I added.
“Yes, you are. You’ll forget all about Zell, by the time I’m finished with you.”
“You are evil,” I hissed at him.
“If you only knew how evil, you really would be alarmed,” Johnny laughed manically.
I believed him. There are many forms of evil in this world, and I now placed Jon firmly on that side. How could I have not seen this side of him? Quite possibly because I had never crossed him before. Others had; I knew that. I also knew that he unfailingly made them pay for their supposed transgression against him. I had just thought it to be the Alpha Male in him. I thought about it: his need to be always right, to always be first, to be on top. He was a driven person. Now, if he couldn’t have me, Zell wouldn’t either. Zell had sealed our fates with Jon the day he stood up to him in the cafeteria. Jon would see to it that we both paid for his humiliation and his slip from idol status with the major population of the school. Of that, I was sure.
Zell, where was he? Was he hurt or dead? Surely, he would come for me if he were OK. I had to think. I had to figure out a way to outsmart Jon. Stall him, a voice inside me seemed to say. Give Zell time to find you.
“Jonny, you’re right. You’re more my type than Zell.” I decided that I had to make him believe that he could still be my boyfriend. “Just please let me go. My dad will be worried, and he has suffered enough in this lifetime.” Jon refused to answer or even look at me. I lay my head back against the seat thinking.
“Where are we going?” I asked meekly pretending to be over my anger at him.
“To our family cabin on the lake.”
Located in a secluded area of Lake Lanier, I knew Jon’s cabin. He took me fishing there a couple of summers ago. It wasn’t that far from where Zell’s house was located, but the mere isolation of it terrified me more than I wanted to show. Thoughts swirled around my head. My head ached from the temporarily halted blood flow when Jon had his big hands around my neck. I needed to play my cards right. Maybe, I can get away from him. I was trying to calm my frantic thoughts and wildly beating heart and come up with a plan at the same time.
“I’m living in a horror show,” I murmured aloud and turned looking out the window.
“Did you say something?” Jon asked.
“Yes, I said my life is a horror show,” I yelled at him as though he were deaf.
Jon said nothing. He just looked at me like I had lost my mind.
Jon didn’t know the half of it. He didn’t know of the monstrous wolf-like creature in the parking lot of the school, the vampire on the beach when he went for my sweater, nor of the monster that lurked near the dumpsters at school. My life had turned into a freak show. Monsters lurked in the shadows waiting for me. I could not live my life normally anymore. I had to think before I did the slightest thing. The wrong move could put my life in jeopardy. Just like deciding to take a shortcut to the gym, I had made that trip dozens of times. This time I took the shortcut, and a monster lay waiting for me. How many other vulnerable moments had other dark beings discovered in my daily life. Evidently, they watched from shadowy hiding places. They waited, and calculated weaknesses in my defenses. At any time, they could exploit those weaknesses. My shoulders, arms, and wrists ached. I could not sit comfortably with my hands tied behind me.
Where was Zell? He was so quiet after the last attack. He saw me safely home and walked out of my life without a word. Realizing he could never protect me because I would not allow him total access to my life, Zell must have walked away not wanting to see the massacre that was coming. My independent nature drove him from me. All he ever wanted was to be at my side to protect me. Then, I would do something stupid like stealing away when he was occupied with Miss Picknell. After that, he, most likely in a panic to find me, comes upo
n me seconds before I am to be devoured by a hideous monster. I could tell the images of what would have happened to me had he arrived seconds later had upset him. I am sure he didn’t want to stick around to witness my death at the hands of the Dark Ones, and he had fled. Pain darted up my arms to my shoulders and roused me from my dark thoughts. I must convince Jon to untie me.
“Jon,” I said sweetly.
“What?” he muttered.
“Sitting with my hands tied behind me is really uncomfortable. Would you untie my hands? Please.”
Jon turned slightly to look at me and snorted.
“Not a chance,” he laughed.
I grunted twisting my face up. Obviously, I’m not much of an actress.
It was beginning to be apparent that Zell was not coming for me. At this point, he would not have a clue where to look. Even if he had not disappeared as quickly and as suddenly as he came into my life, he would never look for me with Jon. Hope was beginning to slip away. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the seat.
Determined, I opened my eyes again. If Zell was not coming for me, I had to get away from Jon myself. I would have to be ready when the chance came. I have to try and get my hands free. Escape would be difficult with both of my hands tied behind my back.
Jon turned off the highway on to a gravel road. He turned to me and grabbed me roughly. He yanked my chin up and kissed me. If I had doubts before that Jon was not the one for me, that kiss sealed it. I felt nothing.
“You’ll thaw out when we get to the cabin.” Jon released me and put the truck back in gear.
Was that a threat? I wondered.
Forests thickly lined the sides of the road. Large, muddy pits accented the gravel drive. My heart sank deeper and deeper into an abyss of despair the further we drove into the woods and away from the main road. It would be impossible for someone to locate me here. Furthermore, it would be a nightmare trying to escape. On foot, it would take me hours to get back to the main road. If I managed to escape, I decided that I would follow the road but stay hidden in the woods.
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