Hunter or Hunted

Chapter 6- Paranoia and Parents

Beau’s P.O.V

I was surrounded.

Hooded and shapeless figures stood around me, holding me captive.

Rose, my parents, Noel and Marie.

They were cowering in front of me, not daring to meet my eyes.

One of the hooded people, obviously the leader, towered over the people that mattered most to me wearing an ominous smirk, barely visible in the dark desolate parking lot. Darkness had claimed the sky long ago. A blanket of dull stars was cast over the sky and the moon cast an eerie glow over the scene.

He picked something up from the floor, a can of petrol.

In one sharp motion his arm jerked. As I leapt towards them to stop the petrol, two of the men caught my arm, jarring my shoulders and bringing me to a halt. He threw it over them, coating them from head to toe. The smell of the clear liquid was so potent it immediately attacked the back of my throat.

He turned back to me sneering. “Hey, you know what’s going to happen right?”

I swallowed hard but couldn’t make the tight suffocating feeling in my throat subside. I nodded my head slowly. His smirk turned into a grin, which could be mistaken for a grimace, as he turned back to my family and friends.

He slowly pulled out a lighter and flicked it to life.

The flame was dancing atop of the metal rim; it was taunting me. I tried to break out of their hold and fight my way to them, but only to be pulled back, writhing in their forceful grip. I slammed back to the ground, the salty, metallic flavour of blood entering my mouth. I ignored it.

He jacked the lighter, the flame permanently flickering and sent it flying in their direction. He backed away a little bit and a grin was plastered all over his face. Sadist idiot.

It landed at my father’s feet, at the end of the line. He looked at the flame that was smouldering on his clothes, consuming his legs.

He looked so calm- like he’d accepted his fate. The fire quickly swept along the line next reaching my mom, Marie, Noel and then finally the person I cared for most.

Rose.

I struggled again against the hooded figure constricting restraint.

He didn’t even look down; I was no match for him. The rest of the hooded figures surrounded me once again.

I heard a blood-curdling scream and…

 

I sat bolt upright in my bed. The sweat covered my shirt and bed sheets. My hair was stuck to my forehead and my hands were violently shaking. I grabbed on my mattress to stop my shaking hands. My head was throbbing- like I had hit it. I had never once had a dream so vivid in my life.

I looked over to my bedside table and looked at the clock.

3:03 am

I got out of bed and I saw that I hadn’t even changed before I fell asleep. I changed into a clean shirt and my pyjama bottoms before slowly opening my door. I stumbled down the hallway. My legs felt like they would collapse under me.

Passing Rose’s room; her door was slightly ajar. I pushed it slowly hoping it would stay quiet. She was in her bed contently asleep. At least that was just a dream. I backed back out of her room and proceeded downstairs; carefully dodging the creaky steps.