Open Up (OHSHC)

Chapter 50: A Pool of Hate

That fire I set was making me hot. My brain was screaming, telling me to get out of there. My heart was beating so fast making my body shake every breath I inhaled. My mouth was dry and my eye were wet. The position they had me it was perfectly thought out. This game of catch and mouse was getting out of hand. I literally felt like I was dying.... My heart...

I fell to the ground clutching my chest for air. I was breathing but I felt like I wasn't getting enough oxygen. I took my face in my hands. Beads of sweat filled my fingers.

The dirt around me swayed and if I didn't get water or something quick I was going to pass out. Given the situation that wasn't a good idea.

Getting back up I slowly meandered my way back to that forest of trees. I hoped I was heading that way. Truthfully, I just wanted to get out of there.

"Where are you going?" The wind played with the skin of the persons voice. Turning it into something completely different.

I was sweating but I was so cold. Freezing actually. My skin grew pale and lips turning blue.

"Go away..."

"No body wants you here..."

"Kill yourself."

"Slut!"

All words and sentences jumbled together. I tried running, but my feet could only move at a slow pace. Every shape passed my like speeding cars. The world was spinning and rotating to their enjoyment.

"Stop..." I clasped my ears to shut out their cruel comments.

"Go away."

"I hope you die."

"She's so ugly?"

"Why did I even like her..!?"

"I think she's crying!!"

Their laughter soaked into me. I was swimming through a pool of their hatred. I thought I was done until I felt wood; trees.

The last ounce of hope, adrenaline, energy and courage flowed through me. Allowing me to push my way through the trees.

"Hikaru! Haruhi! Please!" I tried to scream but the words came out like husky whispers. My mouth was so dry.

Every time I inhaled it hurt. Every time I took a step it hurt. Every time I walked I got hit with a branch, which hurt. The pain was so evident my skin teared.

"Maria, help." I prayed forcing myself out of the trees.

Somehow I managed to escape. I didn't even realize I was on the ground until I opened my eyes. They were closed the whole time? Everything was pitch black so I didn't notice the difference.

I picked myself up, clutching myself until I reached the front of the building. Light shimmered down into the bare parking lot. Where was our driver? Tears rolled down my chin, then froze. Panting and crawling where the best I could do.

Finally, I brought myself until I hit the glimmer of the street lights. At lest I could see...

"Hello?" My raspy whisper echoed through the vacant lot. No use.

I pulled out my phone checking the black screen again, I forgot it had died. The biggest surprise is how it stayed in my pocket.

The huge door to the school were closed and I wondered if everyone was alright. I just hoped they were in better conditions then me.

I tried calling out again. This time to revive a chirp from the midnight owls.

'What time is it?' I thought to myself. Surly later than midnight, I reasoned.

Closing my eyes I breathed deeply through my nose. Surprisingly, I hadn't caught a cold. I would wake up with one the next morning however.

Sitting myself down I thought through my options.

A) walk home

B) sit and wait

C) go back to the gardens

All my options sucked and I had hoped there would be an option D. There had to be right?

Getting up I tethered over to the opposite side of the building. Instead of going to the right of the school, I went left. The crackle of leaves made me realize I had lost my shoes. Did I even wear shoes here? And I had lost the jacket Hikaru had given me earlier as well.

This side of the building consisted of more pink walls and zero means of escape. I had nowhere to go. Not a dash of luck.

"Haruhi? Hikaru?" I called out. Clearing my burning throat. The winded kicked me and I shivered.

I was hopeless. Utterly hopeless. Checking my pockets again I felt a ball of lint and a wood-chip. May the week of being a Girl Scout give me hope!!!

Finding my way back to the only lit lamp post in the entire school grounds, I gathered fallen twigs, leaves, branches... Anything that would start a fire. Making sure the wood was old and dry, along with the leaves I bunched then up into a pile. My location was behind a cement wall, where the wind wouldn't interfere; still allowing me assess to the light.

"Oh God... Please work." I cried. Pushing a small twig to the base if a flat one with the lint in between them, I rubbed the stick inside my palms. A hint of smoke appeared as I moved my hand up and down. I chanted again in my head a soft prayer and soon enough a small flame was lit.

"Oh sweet heavens! Ill beer doubt you ever again!" I smiled to the sky. No time to waste! I brought myself up findin loose tree bark and leaves to my fire pit. I circled rocks around it and soon enough the fire was warming me up. Th ankle height of a fire was still a fire and by god I needed it. Searching the parking lot again, I squinted my eyes for a better look.

I couldn't believe my eyes, Hikaru's jacket was sprawled out along the pavement. I rushed over to get it pulling myself into the sleeves and curling up to the fire.

I felt his pockets, feeling around to see if I could find anything. Sadly, there was no phone or anything like it to be found. However I came across a mint, a watch, and car keys.

I pressed the alarm button on the keys and a car sounded across the ways of the lot. Putting out the fire I made a mad dash to the limo. The driver was asleep when I banged on his window. Did he not hear the car's horn?!

"Mmmhum... Um yes?" He fixed his collar looking up to me.

"Where's Hikaru and Haruhi?"

"Your friend Haruhi is asleep in the back. Master Hikaru told me to wait here while he went in search for you." He eyed me. I looks like trash... I got it.

"When was this?" I asked him.

He checked his watch. "About an hour ago... Something about you two being separated??"

I nodded. The story came to me. After we were deprecated Hikaru found Haruhi, then went searching for me. While finding Haruhi I was being attacked. I fled and who knew where Hikaru was by then.

"Did he say where he was going by chance?" I asked the pseudo of a driver.

He shook his head. "No."

Isn't it his job to watch over a billion-dollar companies son with close eye? Or was a billion dollar debt and a sentence to prison not freighting enough?

Knowing Haruhi was safe took a load off my shoulders, but knowing that two people could be after Hikaru frightened me. Where was he? And was he ok?