Kidnapped

Chapter 6 - Hospitality

'Michael! Michael, please get up!' I yelled at him as he lay face down in the grass. I could hear him grumbling so I knew he was alive. I tugged at him and finally he stood up. He was clutching his left arm and I could see blood seeping through his fingers. Michael had been shot.

I tried hard not to cry but the tears came rolling anyway. Michael used his right hand to wipe them away and then started to run as fast as his unbearable pain would allow him. I quickly followed him and a new round of gunshots started to follow us. Michael fell a couple of times because the sudden sound startled him and I tried as hard as I could to keep him moving.

We avoided the shots but everywhere I looked I saw people who HADN'T been so lucky. Guilty thoughts clouded my mind as I saw helpless and innocent people on the ground that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

'Run faster, Alaina! They're following us!' I looked backwards and sure enough Greg and the pothead woman were behind us. I sucked in my breath and I didn't even dare to let it out until we rounded the corner where all the big farms were. Once we had the shooters off our tail, Michael made his way to someone's grassy lawn and sat down on one of the chairs that had been placed there.

I could tell he was exhausted and that he had lost a lot of blood. His normally tan, healthy face was dirty and pale. It just just looking at how much pain he was in.

'Does it hurt?' I asked Michael as I kneeled to the ground next to his chair. He looked down at me and his blue eyes seemed lifeless and dull.

'Not as much as before. It's numbing.' I wasn't a doctor but I was pretty sure that it wasn't a good thing. I sighed and took off the pink sweater I was wearing and wrapped Michael's arm in it. I tied it as hard as I could to keep pressure on it. Michael mumbled a thank you and I was about to tell him I loved him before we heard the distant sound of loud click clacking.

My eyes widened and I grabbed Michael and we both dove behind a bush. I peeked through the leaves and I was relieved to see that it was just someone on a horse. I would normally have been more cautious but considering that I was desperate, I stood up and approached the person on the horse.

'What are you doing?!' I heard Michael whisper loudly. I ignored him and as I came closer the person stopped the horse. I squinted a little bit as I looked up. He was a boy about my age with big brown eyes and wavy brown hair. He smiled at me and I offered a small smile in return. In one quick motion he hopped off his white horse and landed next to me.

'Hey, do you need help or something, babe?' he said. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes because this guy was my only hope of getting Michael help. I turned around and yelled for my love behind the bushes. Michael stood up and slowly made his way towards us.

His face looked even paler and I could see the blood seeping through my sweater. I cringed and the guy stepped forward. His eyes widened and I could tell he was shocked.

'Dude, what happened to your arm?! Here let me help.' The guy placed Michael's good arm around his shoulder and lifted him a little.

Michael shrugged and laughed weakly. 'You know the usual gunshot through the arm. No biggie.'

The guy laughed. 'I'm Alex by the way. You need some help for your arm. I know somebody I can take you to. Just get on Speedy here.' Alex patted his horse. He held his hand out to help Michael up but Michael just ignored it and got on himself. I waited and Alex turned to me. 'You can get on too, umm...'

'Alaina.' I said for him.  

'Alaina, hop on. I'll walk the horse.' I nodded no and Alex shrugged and got on. He made the horse gallop and ran next to them. I didn't notice the rocky road before but now that I was running on it, it was brutal.