Abnormal

Chapter 1 - Missing

            [Dawn in media]
Abel

I think a lot for someone who makes dumb decisions on impulse.

    "You know she doesn't really think of you that way, Abel. You guys have known each other since the womb." Dawn read my mind.

I took a composing breath.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to sound so harsh."

I glanced at Dawn for a moment, gripping the wheel in frustration.

"I'm guessing she meant it kindly then?"
I said angrily.

Dawn shook her head, holding my free hand reassuringly.

"I wasn't myself that night Dawn..."
I let out painfully.

Dawn nodded, wincing a bit at my words. We had this conversation before, discussing the night that I regret often. And to be fair, I'd be upset with me if I were Meadow too.

      "Let's not talk about all of this now. How about some music?" Dawn reached for the radio and I let out a stifled laugh.

      "You're too good to me Dawn... .you shouldn't be. Not after what we did. I'm sorry."

Dawn pointed a daring finger at me, one that told me to 'shut the hell up'. Even though she'd never say it.

      "I know you are, now, how about that music."

     She turned the volume up a few notches and closed her eyes, looking out the window.

We were driving past the forest that stretched just out of town and into a spread of unowned land.

       Nobody liked coming out here after a local family went missing on a camping trip five years ago.

Dawn softly hummed to the playlist and tapped her fingers, looking out the window curiously.

An angel sent from the heavens.

"Hey, why are we going through the forest? It's late."

   "Why are you scared?" I teased.

Dawn rolled her eyes at me, "Maybe you just want to take the long way home to spend time with me."

My shoulders stiffened, "We're in a car."

"I know." Dawn seemed to sense my unease.

Although we don't speak of it, Dawn teases me about that night. I don't know if she hates me for what I did.

Furthermore, I don't know how she feels about it either.

I don't know why I kissed her.

I shouldn't be upset at Meadow, I should be upset at myself and apologize to Dawn.

   I looked at Dawn again, her face an angry red, her brows furrowed as her eyes wandered beyond the forest's trees. And I couldn't help but wonder if she was confused.

I soon saw her face contort into a state of fear as her hand flew to point at the road, where I soon looked.

A figure stood eerily in the middle of the stretched road, bright glowing eyes looking straight towards the approaching car, a human stoplight.

It must've gone quiet, or I must've died.

My vision blurred and I heard a mix of faint sounds.

All of my senses came back at once, reeling my head into a pounding mess.

"Abel".

I looked at Dawn, blood-stained her hair and clothes, a look of distress in her drowsy eyes.

I looked at her for a moment and moved for her seat belt as it came loose. I tried to budge mine off.

"Call 911". I strained out.

Dawn reached for her phone before her features became a daze and she fell asleep.

Asleep?

Click

  I heard a noise from behind, following a shuffle of heavy footsteps.

Click

    My breath quickened as I tried my seat belt again. The shuffle of steps went quiet.

   The suffocating belt came loose as I reached for Dawn's phone quietly, only my ragged breath and thump of my chest present.

     I dialed the number.

      A pair of large hands painfully pulled me from the car as I took in the crisp air of the night, my ribs in throbbing pain.

     Everything felt bruised and sore.

      I let out a groan as the hands of my savior dropped me onto what seemed to be the street.

    I looked up, the taste of iron coating my tongue. A guy and he looked to be around my age.

    His eyes were an unnatural color, a teal color, and they seemed to. . . glow. His hair was a messy blue. The same tone as his eyes.

    His chin tatted with dots, trailing down to his exposed collar.

    He looked at me with the same curiosity.

    My mouth muttered words, even I couldn't understand. My brows furrowed as logic cut off all ties with my curiosity.

     It took me a while, but I reached my feet. The rather, fragile and thin, young-looking man just stood, staring at me baffled.

     I had questions that had no time to be answered, I stumbled my way to the once functional car.

    The man seemed to be pushed to his senses as a wave of anger overtook his features.

     Slowly, he walked towards me.

     A knock to my jaw and I was on the ground again, the blood in my mouth spilling over as I began to feel lethargic.

      He grabbed me by the sleeves of my shirt as I was dragged, only an ounce of struggle left in me.

     I yelled, kicked, screamed, anything to release me from his steel grip. Yet it all seemed dull.

    My muscles burned in the exhaust as my chest rose and fell.

  The last I remember is falling asleep.

—

"Even more stunning in person".

A woman's voice spoke.

A searing pain came to my head. One that wasn't familiar at all, a burning sensation that came from inside my skull.

It was nearly unbearable.

Sweat trickled down my face as I opened my eyes painfully, squinting.

"He's awake, Eden".

Dull lights shone around a homely room. It seemed to be a sort of house- or cabin.

I was restrained.

The princess-like figure named Eden approached me. The woman had long curly hair that grew to her hips and a jet black dress that trailed behind her.

Dots tatted across her cheeks with an unnatural purple tint in her eyes.

Behind her was my savior—or rather, kidnapper.

I looked up at the woman, she gave me an intending warming gaze—one that wasn't warming at all as her hand found a place on my face.

I winced at the gesture, the burning in my skull sent a ringing to my ears.

"We'll take care of you."