Trails of Secrets

34. The Attack

"Where did he go?" Liam panicked.

Annalise was in front of him searching the edge of the trees. "In here. Somewhere."

Sara ran out of the house and past the other two. "They got to him."

She disappeared into the trees and raced after Noah.

Annalise sat down on the back porch. "I should have been with him."

"It's ok, Annalise. There were other important matters," Liam whispered as he ran after Sara.

A million things were running through his mind. What now? Where do they all go from here? Was any of this even real? Was Noah ok?

He hoped Noah was ok. 

To the left of him, he heard a shout and a grunt. 

Then another scream.

Noah. 

Liam ran a little farther and watched as Sara finished off the second man that was holding Noah captive. 

"Liam, run. It won't hold them for long. Take Noah," Sara spoke having a hard time breathing. Liam grabbed Noah's arm and ran with him on the way back to the house. 

Well he wasn't much help. 

They were still running when they heard another scream. One that sounded like Sara.

Liam instantly regretted leaving her.

"Liam, where are we? And was that Sara?" Noah questioned as they quickly raced through the trees. Liam gave Noah a quick look of confusion but shook it away. "We are in the woods behind Sara's house."

"Sara's house? I thought we were going to Persephone's house?"

"Don't worry about it, man."

                                                             ~~~

The three had been waiting for half an hour. Sara still hadn't come back. Liam was worried. Annalise didn't care. And Noah still didn't know what was going on. 

"Should we go after her?" Liam asked Annalise. She glared at him in response. 

"Why should we? She betrayed us. She lied. Just like Chris. Just like -" She paused.

Just like Chris.

But she's not like Chris.

Liam hesitated. Then cleared his throat, "She would come after us."

Annalise just grunted, "Well we weren't the ones who lied."

"What exactly did Sara lie about?" Noah shuffled his feet.

That did it.

"Everything, Noah! Everything!" Annalise started. "She lied about her story! She lied about her parents! She lied about her sister! She lied about her own name! This isn't her friend's house, It's hers! And I believed everything. All this time I've been wasting on a lie. I thought I was her friend. But, no! I was just the idiot who believed in her."

Then Annalise stormed into the house. 

"Sorry I asked." 

                                                                      ~~~

It was dark out when Sara returned. Annalise had gone to sleep in Sara's bed while Noah was resting on the couch. Or what was left of it. 

Meanwhile, Liam was still sitting on the porch waiting for her. 

Liam had contemplated going after her, but was very conflicted between both his friends. He felt that no matter what he did, he was betraying someone. 

She seemed to be limping on her right leg while she held her left arm. Instinctively, Liam wanted to help her; but something held him back. 

"Hi."

"Hi," he whispered his raspy voice. "Glad you're safe."

"Yep."

The two stood there for about a minute before Sara spoke. 

"I'm sorry."

Liam couldn't hold it back any longer. 

"Sorry?" he laughed bitterly. "You're sorry? Sorry for what? Lying? Betraying us? Betraying me? Putting Annalise and Noah in danger?-"

"Please..."

"-Not telling us the truth? Having us believe your lies?-"

"Liam..."

"-What exactly are you sorry for?! Cause in my opinion, It's gonna take a lot more than 'sorry' to make up for all of that-"

He stopped to take a breath. Sara was sobbing quietly. So quietly, he hadn't even noticed while he was ranting. 

He had hurt her.

She had hurt him, more than he would ever let on. But the last thing on this earth that Liam wanted to do, was hurt her. 

And that's what he had just done. 

But what could he do? Say that he was sorry? Comfort her? Hug her? 

Right now, he was having a hard time even looking at her. 

Never in his life had he ever loved and loathed one person so much at the same time. But right now, loathing took over.

Liam walked into the house.

And Sara was left in the dark as she made her own rain.