Camp Red Lake

Chapter 46. Unfinished Business

The evening was crisp and cloudy. A few cold drops trickled down my face as it began to rain. I walked slowly through the empty streets, my eyes focused on the pavement ahead. My mind swirled with thoughts and emotions that I still didn't comprehend. Eventually, I reached the park that was near my house. I decided to take a detour. I didn't want to go home yet.

I wandered down the bike path, the smell of wet soil filled the air. I made my way over and took a seat on one of the empty benches. It was wet but I didn't care. I let my tired head hang as I thought about the situation with Croy.

I don't know how much time passed, but I must've been there for a while because the street lights began flickering on. A shiver rolled down my spine after a while. I was drenched. The rain was getting heavier and the wind was beginning to pick up. For a second I remembered hearing something about an incoming thunder storm. "I guess I should start heading back..." I muttered to myself as I got up and started to head home.

After a few minutes of walking, I crashed into someone, hard. "I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going." I apologized as I looked up.

"Well, fancy running into you here, little bitch." His cynical tone all but singed my ear drums. I furrowed my brows when I laid eyes on him.

"Scaggot." I said his name in a growl as I shoved my hands in my hoodie pockets. "Funny, I don't recall this being a sewage plant, so why did I run into a pile of shit?" I asked him with a sneer. He scoffed. "Go back to hell where you belong." I huffed as I pushed my way past him. A brusque tug on my arm made me stop and turn.

"What's the hurry?" He asked as he pulled me in forcibly.

"Let go of me." I demanded as I struggled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You and I have some unfinished business to take care of." I furrowed my brows, Croy's words resonated in my head.

'He blames you for what happened with Violet.'

"You're wrong. I have no business with you!" I shot back just before yanking him in by his hoodie and ramming my knee into his crotch.

Scaggot groaned, the blow bringing him to his knees. I took advantage of his incapacitation to run. I sprinted through the wet grass, my shoes sliding on the uneven terrain. I could feel my lungs burning as I fought to catch my breath. All I had to do, was make it home. Then I could call for help. A yelp escaped my throat a second after as I was tackled down and pinned against the grass.

"Let me go!" I protested as I opened my mouth to scream. Scaggot stuffed a sock into my mouth just in time to muffle my cries.

"Now, now. We don't want to wake the neighbors, right? So be a good girl and stay quiet." He hissed as he leaned in and sniffed me. I turned my head defiantly, my stomach churning when I caught a whiff of his intoxicated breath. I continued to struggle, which only seemed to piss him off more.

"Stay still!" He screamed just before punching me a little too hard in the face. Blood spurted from my nose. I swayed my head back and forth, desperately trying to rock away the dizziness that blow had caused. "You and I are gonna have a lot of fun." He sneered as he pulled out some zip ties and began tying up my wrists. 'Of course.' I thought to myself. 'It's just like me to get kidnapped in the middle of a public place.' I winced when he secured them too tight for comfort. I could feel the tie chafing me.

I clenched my eyes shut, hoping that whatever it was he was going to do, would end quickly. Scaggot took out his knife once he was done and pressed the cold metal against my flushed cheek. "I'm going to carve you up nice and good. Let's see if pretty boy still likes you then." He grinned maliciously as the tip of his blade began breaking my skin.

"Get off her you creep!" The familiar voice caused my eyes to shoot open. Croy tackled Scaggot off me, the impact sending them both rolling down the wet hill. The pair groaned as they fought to regain their balance. Scaggot made it up first. He stalked over to Croy, who was having trouble catching his breath.

I forced myself to sit up, and immediately got to work on my shoelaces. It took a bit of effort, but I finally managed to slip one off. I looped it between the tie and my skin, then knotted the two heads together. I used my foot to create friction between the tie and the lace. 'Come on. Almost there...' I prayed to myself as I glanced over at Croy. Another muffled scream escaped my throat when I saw him hit the ground. One of his eyes was beginning to swell and his mouth was stained with blood from his nose.

I rubbed the lace against the tie with more urgency as I watched Scaggot walk over and pull something dark out of his waistband. My heart nearly stopped when I heard the familiar click of the safety being removed. It was loud, more deafening in my head than the sound of the rain. 'No, not again.' I fretted as I quickened my movements.

"Finally, to do what I should've done that day. This is for Violet." I heard him tell Croy, who had barely staggered to his feet. He held onto his side as he panted, the cold temperature making his breath visible.

The sound of my tie snapping blurred together with my muffled scream. I dived down the hill and rolled, smashing straight into Scaggot. The impact caused him to stumble back and hit his head against the trunk of a large tree. "Hazel!" Croy wheezed when I made it to him. I draped my arm around his torso to keep him from falling. "Get out of here." He huffed, his cheeks flushed from the cold. "No. I won't leave you!" I protested firmly.

"Well would you look at that. Two for one, it must be my lucky day." He sneered as he aimed. At that moment, I knew what I had to do. I turned to Croy and pulled him in by his hoodie, placing a quick peck on his lips before letting him go and charging Scaggot. "Hazel don't!" He screamed, but I ignored him. I heard the gunshot echo through the park, but he missed. I slipped in between his arms and jumped, bringing my elbow crashing down on his arm. The impact caused him to drop the gun. When I saw the opportunity, I clasped my fingers around his neck.

"Do it. I bet you don't have the balls to do it!" He taunted, his eyes deranged. "Okay. I will." A familiar voice made me glance up. Jason stood behind Scaggot, the gun pressed against the back of his head.

"Don't. It's not worth sullying your hands." I told him as I walked over and picked up my phone which had slipped out of my pocket during our earlier struggle. "You sure you're okay?" Jason asked, his gaze trained on me instead of the cackling mess at his feet. "You're all weak! WEAK!" Scaggot shouted, finally losing his marbles. "Yeah, why do you..." I paused when I felt something warm trickling down my fingers from beneath the hoodie. I held my hand up to see crimson staining my skin.

"Hazel! Call an ambulance!" Croy shouted, the order directed at Jason when he finally managed to make his way up hill. "On it. I'll phone the police as well." Jason clarified.

I blinked as Croy stood in front of me, my vision was beginning to blur. Now that the adrenaline had begun to wear off, I could feel a hot sting traversing my shoulder. I glanced down and to my left, my eyes finally coming to rest on the bleeding wound that dented my arm.

"Haze!" Croy shouted as my legs gave away under me. I hadn't realized how sore I was until now. "You're a fucking idiot! Why didn't you run?" He scolded as he held me. "You know I couldn't." I told him as I closed my eyes and allowed that pressing darkness to claim me.