Work in Progress

Chapter 46: Thunder

*SAM'S POV*

"Where's Eli?" Aunt Tessa's eyes kept darting between me and Tera. Tera was trying to form words but nothing was coming out. We were wasting time just standing here. Getting a grip of myself, I answer, "We're on our way to pick her up."

I guess I didn't sound reassuring since Aunt Tessa asked, still with horror in her face, "What happened?"

"We'll explain on the way. Right now we have to go." I take my keys from Tera and tug on her arm to leave. My hands were shaking so much I couldn't even open my car.

"I'll drive." Tera says, putting her hand in mine. I was going to protest but the look in her eyes showed that she was now in a better state than I was. I nod and get in the passenger seat.

Nobody says a word until we reach an antiques shop in town. A blonde woman quickly gets into the back seat with Aunt Tessa, alarming the older woman.

"Why are you here? What have you done to my Eli this time?" Aunt Tessa was furious but Vanessa was unfazed. Instead of answering her immediately, she hands me a phone and says, "I've entered the GPS. Just follow the route." I take it and place it on the dashboard so Tera could see it clearly. We quickly speed away.

Aunt Tessa wasn't going to sit in silence anymore. "Vanessa." She says it in such a tone that even an innocent on the stand would feel guilty.

"Don't worry, Tessa. I haven't done anything to Eli. If anything, I've kept my distance from her. Eli's a smart kid. Sadly, Evan isn't."

"What does he want?" I interject.

"Honestly, I don't know." Vanessa looks at me through the rearview mirror. "If I had to guess, Evan's still probably hung up on Eli. He's been doing well these past couple of years but I guess seeing Eli again triggered some memories for him."

"What do you think he's going to do?" Aunt Tessa asks, worry laced in her voice.

"Talk. He loves talking. As long as Eli plays smart she'll be alright."

"Do you really think that?" This time it was Tera who asked. She was still speeding down the road but by the tone of her voice I knew that Vanessa was holding back.

The blonde sighs. "No. No matter how well a person has a grasp on themselves under the influence... they can still be unpredictable." She turns to Aunt Tessa. "What's Eli's schedule?"

"She told me she's down to three a week now. But her last one was two days ago. I think she's trying to be rid of it as quickly as she can."

Vanessa furrows her brows. "Well let's just hope she didn't rush things too quickly."

Dread was at the pit of my stomach threatening to burst through. I could feel my insides twisting at every unspoken word hidden between what was just said. It took everything in me to stay focused on Eli. A smiling Eli. Hoping that once we find her, she'll be okay and smiling back at me.

"We're here."

We all get out of the car and head towards a dilapidated building. We still have a few ways to go when we start to hear shouting. My feet move on their own and I start running towards the voices. What I see shocks me.

Eli has her back towards me but I could see her breathing heavily. I could feel the anger radiating from what she had just said. I heard the pure hate in her voice and even though I didn't want to admit it, I was scared.

I sensed the others by my side now and I guess Evan did too. Before I knew it, he was looking at me while his hand reached behind him. I didn't have to see to know what was coming. I scream Eli's name to try and warn her. She lunges at Evan and they fall to the ground. I try to come nearer but I feel hands stopping me. Then I hear a gunshot and we all freeze. Evan was on top of Eli but both of them weren't moving. I scream with all the air in my lungs and fight the hands holding me back. Suddenly, Evan begins to move and I'm frozen in place again as realization hits me. Eli is gone.

Eli is gone and the man who killed her is looking right at me smiling.

A/N: Ok I swear when you see the beginning of the next chapter you won't hate me anymore.

Song: Bad Love by RY X

Check out this awesome review of the song https://torturetheartist.net/2017/12/17/review-ry-x-bad-love-eagles-butterflies-remix-infections-music/

"'Bad Love' reflects the perspective of a lover's sorrow; it expresses the inner conflict when recurrent memories heat up the desire of being with a particular person although the afflicted is conscious that pursuing present needs foments future agonies."