GRAVE DANGER

Grave Danger Chapter 5

Martin explains to me that he left after my parents' funeral to find out how they died--we both knew there was no way they had crashed, the route they took was practically deserted and my father was a very good driver.

Martin says he was captured by bandits who told him they killed my parents in the hopes of finding my inheritance--the key to the savings account they made for me--on their bodies, but they'd hidden it somewhere at the house. He says he convinced the bandits that he would steal the key from me and bring it back to them in return for his freedom."So we have to find it and get you to the safe before they decide it's been long enough and come to get me."

"But..." I bite my lip nervously. "Won't they still find and kill you once we collect it?"

He sighs. "That doesn't matter. I'm in over my head, By now, I'll die either way. But if they come to get it themselves, they'll kill you too."

"Then what's the point?" I start hyperventilating.

"What do you mean what's the point? You'll get to live."

"But you won't. What's the point?"

He shakes his head looking confused. "I don't understand. You've been living just fine all this time convinced I was dead, it'll just be like going back in time."

"No it won't!" I exclaim. "Now I know you're alive! I can't forget that, it's not fair to ask me to! I can't lose you again!" My voice gets squeaky and faint, tears start pooling in my eyes.

I just finally got him back. I won't lose him again. He puts a hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Raven. It wasn't fair of me to say that." His voice is unexpectedly soft. "But there's nothing I can do anymore. It's not negotiable."

"Yes it is! I refuse to let you die again!" I shove his hand away.

"It's not up to you."

"It is now! I'll get the chief in on it, we'll set up a guard so that when they come for you we can get them first! I'm not losing you again!" i POUND BOTH MY FISTS AGAINST HIS CHEST, TRYING TO STOP TEARS FROM RUNNING DOWN MY FACE.

He stares at me silently for a minute, a look of knowing pain in his eyes. He puts a hand on the back of my head and gently rests my forehead on his shoulder, then wraps his other arm around my back. I close my eyes. Having his arms around me makes me feel stronger, I don't feel like crying anymore. I can't lose you again... I can't... You can't die again, I can't handle it. I'm not strong enough. I don't want to live in a world without you. Not now that I've remembered how much you really mean to me.

I open my eyes and see that it's gotten considerably darker than it was a minute ago. "Martin." I say quietly.

"Hmm." he hums in reply.

I lift my head up, my hands falling back to my sides. He opens his eyes. "What's going on?" I turn and look out a window.

The sky is blocked by a sheet of dark gray clouds. Thunder rings out in the distance and I feel my heart start pounding. I look back up at Martin, who seems equally worried.

"Get the key." He says quietly, trying to sound less calm than I know he is.

I run into my parents' old bedroom and throw open the closet doors, grabbing a small wooden off the shelf. Inside is a fancy silver key with a blue gemstone in it--it's about the length of the palm of my hand.

I run across the hall into my room and cut a decently long piece of string, tie it to the key and then around my neck. "Got it!" I announce as I walk back to where Martin is standing. He nods and I slip the key under my shirt.

"We should go now," he says. "We can't waste any time."

BOOM!

Lightning hits the transformer on the end of the block, creating the loudest thunderclap I've ever heard. The power flashes off and I'm thrown into complete darkness. Martin's hand lands on my left shoulder. "Let's get to the door." I say, trying to stay calm.

A siren starts wailing in the distance. My heart pounds harder. Rain and wind beat hard on the windows.

CRASH! The roof caves in and crumbles to the ground right next to where Martin and I are standing, and I'm immediately drenched by the rain. "Come on!" He yells, though I can barely hear himi over the raging wind.

He grabs my hand and we cautiously make our way out of the wreckage that used to be my house. He drags me along the sidewalk, but I can't tell where we're going. It looks like all the power in town is out. I expect to see a pair of headlights or flashlight at some point, but it feels like we're the only people here. He pulls me up the front steps of a building I can't see and we make our way to a sturdy basement. A few steps down, his hand slips out of mine and I slip--falling backwards onto the steps behind me and blacking out.