Run Away [Completed]

16

Alden ended the call at once and leaned his head against the wall with his eyes shut tight. What the hell, Jerald?!! he thought fiercely, the feeling of betrayal slicing deep into his chest. They've been best friends since grade 6!

He opened his eyes again, glanced around and thought of what to do next. He didn't know if he could still trust Jerald's escape plan but as he looked around, he couldn't find any other way out.

He leaned his head against the wall again, trying to decide. Finally he crouched and grabbed Maine's hand.

"Let's go. We're taking the escape route." he whispered to Maine.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Yes. Better to try that than wait for them to find us here. I'm not going to make it easy for them. Come on, and be quiet," he whispered urgently at her.

They crouched as they made careful steps around the house and to the area behind the lanai. They heard another bang on the door as Brent and his guys tried to crash it. He glanced at the lanai and realized that as soon as Brent gets inside the room he would be able to see them through the glass.

He quickly searched for the hidden pathway that Jerald mentioned and found it. He pulled Maine's hand and they ran as fast as they could, parting the leaves of the tall growing plants as they go.

They ran for about 5 minutes until they found the trails. They stopped for a moment, bent over with their hands on their knees as they tried to catch their breaths.

"Are you okay?" Alden asked Maine.

"Yea," she answered, breathing hard.

Alden walked over to her and gave her a one armed hug and kissed her on her forehead.

"Now what do we do?" Maine asked looking at the trails. "There are two trails, which one do we take?"

"Jerald said the trail on the left goes to the road and the other one to the forest," he told her.

"I think they are expecting us to take the trail to the road and then will wait for us there," Maine said.

Alden considered this for a moment and then nodded. "You're right. That was probably Jerald's plan. Let's take the forest then. I'm sure we can find another way into town or somewhere to hide in there, at least until tomorrow."

They heard a few voices from where they came and Alden tugged Maine's hand again. They started running and didn't dare look back. The late morning sun shone bright and hot through the tree leaves as they sped through the trail, panting and tired.

Maine faltered twice as they approached the clearing and she sat panting on the ground. Alden was catching his breath too and he was nursing a side stitch.

Alden knelt beside her and rubbed her back. "Maine..."

"I can't do this anymore, Alden..." she cried.

"Maine, I'm sorry but we can't stop yet. We're too exposed here, an easy target," he said, looking around. "Let me carry you if you're tired," he added gently.

Maine shook her head. "I've already caused you so much trouble, Alden."

"Maine, stop saying that," Alden said and there was an edge in his voice.

"Let's end this," Maine continued. "I'm what he wants, just let him take me. I'm sorry I had to drag you this far."

"Dammit, Maine!" Alden said angrily, pulling her up. "Do you think I'd rather see you back in that hell again? We've already gone this far for any of us to give up. I'm not giving up on you so please don't give up on yourself!" he said thru gritted teeth, pulling both of her arms to his chest.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"Come on... We'll take long strides instead, just please, let's get away from the clearing," he said holding her face with his hands. "We'll find a place to hide and then rest."

Maine nodded and Alden took her hands.

They've just started walking forward when two gunshots rang and Alden saw bullets hit the tree to their right, just a foot away from Maine.

"DON'T SHOOT YOU FUCKING IDIOT! YOU ALMOST HIT HER!" Brent shrieked at one of his guys.

The gun shot caused an adrenaline rush for both of them and they started running fast at once, not letting go of each other's hands.

Alden felt the guys scattering around them. He guessed there were about five of them including Brent and Jerald.

Traitor, he thought, seething.

He heard a scuffling to their right. He let go of Maine's hand and pulled the gun from his jeans, switched the safety toggle and shoot blindly to the right. Maine screamed and Alden heard another satisfying cry of pain behind the trees and knew he somehow hit his target.

I just hope it wasn't Jerald, he thought, concerned. Then his thoughts went back to how Jerald played them and he suddenly hoped it actually was him. Fucking traitor.

"He's got a gun, Brent!" one of the men shouted.

"I don't care, don't shoot! I'm going to deal with them when we catch them!" Brent retorted.

Alden angrily turned and aimed a shot at Brent but missed.

"He's shooting at us, Brent! He already hit Benj!" the other guy shrieked. "Let me kill this motherfucker!"

"Brent said don't shoot, dammit!" It was Jerald's voice.

They made a sharp turn to the right, just behind a huge tree, and Maine almost slid down a shallow slope but Alden was able to pull her and gain his own balance just in time.

"Give it up, Richards! Just hand her to me and this will all be over," Brent shouted at him.

"Over my dead body!" Alden shouted back and aimed another shot at him.

Brent laughed. "I can arrange that later, don't worry!"

"Fuck you, Brent, that's not part of the deal!" Jerald shouted at him.

"Shut up!" Brent answered.

Alden and Maine made another turn and after running a few meters they realized that they have reached a dead end.

"Shit." Alden murmured.

"Alden..." Maine whispered, looking at him with fearful eyes.

"Game over." said Brent just a few feet away, flanked by two other guys and Jerald.