War of Fate (Book 2 Completed)

Chapter 61 - 'It hurts, doesn't it?'

The sound of cars hits my ears from behind me. The sheer volume of them makes me think that we're stood on a road leading off from a freeway. Kyle doesn't care about our safety, which isn't much of a surprise, as he has us stand in the middle of the road, which is more like a dirt track. The trees either side of the road, dip over it like an archway leading down to an unknown destination.

On the other side of the road to the trees, running down the road into the distance is a chain-link fence that looks to have been battered a couple of times throughout the years. By the wind or people, I'm not sure.

Behind the fence are small houses, that almost look like trailers, their yards strewn with toys, tools, and other odd bits and pieces.  Some houses have obviously been kept better than others.

Kyle makes us walk down the track, and toward what seems to be the best-kept one of the row I can see.

Not having any regard to the gate, he jumps over it and then makes me push it open forcefully.

"Where are we?" I ask him, not liking that we're going into the unknown. Kyle stays silent before motioning to the door. He stands in the same position as he watches me walk past him.

My hand lifts and raps my knuckles against the door before it moves down to the handle, twisting it until there's a clunk of the lock breaking. I push the door open, allowing the swing to make full contact with the wall, causing a loud crash.

Kyle makes me step up into the house, and my eyes fall on Hunter, midway between lying on the floor and fully standing. His hand hovers over the belt of his pants, and I can see the undeniable metal of a gun, poking up over the band. His hand falls on it but I can tell that he's not fully relaxed. I haven't seen him since first returning to the Grim Reaper's house, and he left on not the best terms.

I focus on different parts of the room within my line of vision and find it to be basic, and sparsely furnished. It's the complete opposite of the Grim Reaper house. I don't know exactly where we are, but it must be Hunter's family home.

Hunter's hair looks ruffled, his cheeks are tinted a light pink, and his clothes look they have been twisted around his body. He's obviously been rolling around on the floor, and when I look behind Hunter I see that he's accompanied by two children, both the same age and with the same look.

I recall Hunter telling me about his twin half brother and sister, and assume that they must be Jaxon and Emily. They look in the same state as Hunter. They must have been play-fighting.

"Scarlett," Hunter says surprised. "How'd y-"

"What cute children," Kyle says, but Hunter continues, unaware of Kyle being here.

"Jake," I answer Hunter.

Instead of Hunter, I focus on his siblings. They look young, and I'm scared of what they could see. It'll affect the rest of their lives. I need Hunter to get them out of here, or for me to leave, but Kyle isn't going to allow that until he gets what he wants.

"Hey," I hear myself say, with a grin in the children's direction. I don't have to look in a mirror, to know that it's not coming across genuinely, but more like Kyle, an evil genius.

"Hey, Em, Jax, why don't you go and find that film," Hunter suggests and I If I weren't being held up by Kyle my shoulders would fall in relief.

Emily and Jaxon both look to me, and then to my surprise their eyes fall onto where Kyle has stood himself. It's only brief, but maybe they could see him.

Once they're out of the room, Hunter walks up to me. His arms come out as if to herd me, and motions for me to walk back the way I came. Instead of standing still, like I thought Kyle would force me to do, he follows Hunter's directions, not allowing him to touch me. We emerge into the humid air outside, and I make a guess at us still being in Florida somewhere.