Fear |Gilbert Blythe

✎ chapter three

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Fear

"Anne should be home by now," I tell my mother as I walk into the kitchen. "Yes, and?" She asks clearly forgetting our earlier conversation. "I gave her a few cents that I made from flower selling in the spring to pick up a new book for me," I explain and my mother turns to face me with realization. "Oh yes, sorry I've just been thinking about the gold. I really do hope we made the right decision in not buying in." I walk over and wrap my arms around her. "I'm sure we did, I'll be back before sundown," I say while letting her go. "Remember you can't stay there, just get your book and leave as quickly as possible, the suns been going down earlier than normal," My mother calls as I leave the kitchen.

The walk is always quick, probably since it's mostly just through fields that are flat. "It was you!" I walk out of the small wooded area that leads to all the fields between Anne and I's houses startled by the yelling. I make it just in time to see Nate punch Jerry who falls to the ground unconscious. "Hey! What are you doing!" I scream as I run towards Nate and the other man from the town hall meeting the other day. "Ah, if it isn't the lovely Ivy, how's it been sweet cakes," he says with a sly smile that sends shivers down my back. "Woah, this isn't part of the plan," the other man says putting his hand on Nate's shoulder.

"Well now the pretty little lady has seen us, and what's one thing everyone knows about pretty little ladies," he says while shrugging the man's hand off. "they never seem to know how to keep their mouth shut." He approaches me threateningly and I step back now regretting ever coming in the first place. I take a few steps and trip over the uneven ground. A feel a few hard stones dig into my backside as I hit the ground. "Stay away from me you bastard!" I scream knowing that is the most unladylike thing I have ever said and would send my grandma to her grave if she ever heard me say it.

"Come here pretty little lady," Nate says leaning down to grab me. I try and kick him but my legs get all tangles in my dress so he's able to grab me and pull me up. I thrash around trying to do as much damage as possible. I feel my head hit his nose and he cries out in pain. "Bitch," he yells as he throws me to the ground. Hard. "Well now you're really in for it pretty little lady!" He yells but a click makes up both look to the side at the other man.

He puts up his gun pointing it at Nate, I feel my stomach drop hoping there's not a bullet in that handgun for me. "I never liked you," he tells Nate. I crawl as best as I can away from Nate and towards Jerry hoping he's mostly alright. Nate doesn't even look at me, he's to caught up trying not to end up dead. "Gimme the money!" The other man yells not backing down. Nate puts his hands up slowly, "Sure thing," he answers calmly. "Here's your half." I crawl closer to Jerry and put my ear to his chest to hear his heart beat steadily. I sigh in relief at the fact he's gonna be okay.

"All of it," the other man orders as Nate only pulled out half from the pouch. "Jonesey," Nate sighs out and I realize I now know the man's name. "Let's-" but Jonesey cuts him off. "This is all your fault!" I steady my breathing hoping that the two men forget about me. "H-how is this my fault? The kid tipped the grift," Nate explains and I wonder if he's talking about Jerry. "You turned them against me. All I wanted was to stay!" Jonesey yells and I almost think he's about to cry.

"Snap out of it. This isn't on me. The knew we were working together," Nate is trying to sweet talk his way out of this situation. I'm not sure if it's going to work but I do hope no one dies, that sounds like a horrific thing to have to see even if I think both men are despicable. "Hey, we'll find a whole new grift. Just you and me, just like old times." But that seems to anger Jonesey. "There is no me and you! I'm taking the money, I'm going to buy a house with land! Somewhere beautiful!" Jonesey tries to fire the gun but for some reason it doesn't work. I watch as he puts it down to look at it which gives Nate enough time to charge at him. I listen to the man's screams as he falls down the mining hole.

"There you go buddy. I made your wish come true," Nate says looking down into the hole. "You get to stay in Avonlea forever." He then comes over to me and grabs his bag. I glare up at him and watch as he takes some rope out of his bag. "Well looks like we're leaving together," he says smirking as he grabs me and ties me up. This time he holds me away so I can't hit his face with my head again. I try and kick him but he doesn't show that it hurts him. The wicker rope scratches my skin and he pulls me along.

After walking a ways through the woods he must decide that I'm to much trouble. "Okay, fine you win," he says pulling me to a stop. "What," I snap back angry. "I won't take you with me, only because I have a feeling your more trouble then you're worth," he pulls me towards a large tree and ties me to the trunk . "What are you-" but I'm cut off when he kisses me. I bite his lip and he chuckles while pulling away. "Goodbye pretty little lady, I'll miss this feisty romance between you and I," I says while taking a step back. "Die in a hole," I yell as he walks away laughing.

I'm not sure how long I'm tied to the tree before I hear voices and the sound of horse hooves. "Help! Help me! I'm tied to a tree!" I scream over and over until I hear the voices getting closer. "Who's there?" I hear an older man yell out. "Ivy Bailey!" I call and I finally see the group of men on horseback. "Ivy?" I hear Mr. Barry say. "Yes, would you please untie me," I ask almost in tears from relief. "However did you wind up tied to a tree?" He asks getting off his horse and going round the tree.

"I ran into Nate and Jonesey, who's in the bottom of the mine," I explain. "Nate's long gone, he took all the money too. Jonesey tried to stop him and take the money himself but Nate pushed him in the mine and took me and tied me to this tree," I continue to explain as I feel the rope loosen. I pull my arms in front of me and rub the red raw skin. "I'll take her home if you guys go and mind Jonesey," Ruby's dad says to other men who nod in agreement.

"Oh thank you," I tell the older gentleman as he helps me onto the hose behind him. It's hard to get up and stay still from how soar my joints are from standing for hours and the multiple times I was shoved to the ground. "Your mother's probably worried sick," he tells me as I grab the sides of his jacket to hold on, not feeling comfortable enough to wrap my arms around his waist. "Yeah, she wanted me home before dark," I say looking up to the moon that's already high in the sky.

"Well let's get you home little lady," he says and I feel my skin crawl thinking about how Nate kept calling me that. "Thank you again, Mr. Gillis."

Wow! Three chapters in 24 hours (I'm trying to make up for not updating for like two years) crazy. I hope this trend lasts 🫶🏼