Bumps In The Road / Paul Lahote

23. Unnerved

Chapter 23

It felt oddly real. Those are the worst kind.

My eyes opened slowly, the dull light making it easy for my eyes to adjust, and the first thing I tried to recognise was my surroundings. All I could see were tall trees and shrubbery for as far as the eye went. I could've been in La Push or Forks, but for all I knew I could have also been in any other forest, so that wasn't very helpful. My body felt stiff and uncomfortable. I tried to lift my arm, but it was stuck to the arm of a metal chair. I attempted similar actions with my other arm and my legs, only to find each limb attached to the chair by metal chains. My joints complained in pain and my neck cracked when I turned too much to look around me.

"Finally. You are awake." A rough voice exclaimed monotonously. The voice sounded loud against the silence of the forest, making me jump slightly. But when I came to think of it, strangely I couldn't hear any of the forest sounds that I'd usually hear when I'm surrounded by nature; no birds or wind.

"What do you want?" I growled, my eyes looking around as I waited for the voice to make an appearance. Suddenly, like time jumped flashed forward, his dirty face was uncomfortably close to mine. I jumped in shock and pushed myself back against the chair, trying to put as much space between myself and the dirty looking man. The most notable feature on his face was a scar that ran across his cheek, starting at the bridge of his crooked nose and ending at his jawline.

"She'll get you," he laughed, but there was a combination of sourness in his tone that disturbed me.

"What? Do you mean the Huntress?" I asked, trying my best to sound strong and unaffected by his crazy antics. But, his laughter only intensified, as though I told him the funniest joke he'd ever heard. I frowned.

"She's going to rip you to shreds, but first she's going to drain you dry." His eyes shut as his laughing continued and he stumbled back. I swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of my throat.

"What is that meant to mean? Is she a Vampire or something?" 

"Vampire!" He laughed harder and held onto his stomach. I growled, my blood boiling at the sight of his amusement. I wanted answers, but all he seemed to be doing was laughing at me. It felt like a mixture of mockery and pure entertainment. I tugged on my restraints violently.

"Did she hire you or something?" I asked, the words leaving my mouth in a hiss. I knew I wasn't going to get much information out of him--but I wanted to try. 

"Hire me? Ha! She needs me!" The warlock laughed, rubbing his palm over his belly as though he hadn't laughed in months. The sight did look odd when I considered it. The warlock was unkept and vicious looking, yet showing the purest expression of happiness by laughing this hard. The scene was unnerving.