1994~Kai Parker

Where Do We Go From Here?

   "MOTUS!" I shouted, propelling him backwards into the wall before I ran out of the front door and onto the street.

I need to get the hell out of here. Screw sentiment, just drive somewhere else and stay there, far away from Kai. Whipping my head around in all directions, I searched for a car that I could steal, and I eventually spotted a lone Dodge Caravan a couple of houses down. I sprinted for it, looking over my shoulders as I did so to see if Kai was following me, but I didn't see him. I practically slammed into the driver's side as I came to a stop and assessed the car. I punched the window out with my elbow, ducking down to shield my face from the shattered glass, and unlocked the car. Sweeping the fragments off of the driver's seat, I climbed up into the vehicle and began to hotwire it.

   "Come on, come on, come onnn..." I muttered as I struggled to get the wires right.

I glanced up and scoped the area for movement, but I again saw nothing, which was more alarming than if I had seen him. Where the hell is he? I didn't think that I had slammed him hard enough to kill him, but maybe I had. I looked back down again to try and get the car to start. Finally! The engine hummed, and I sighed in relief before I went to put the car into gear.

   "AHH!" I screamed as an arrow flew through the shattered driver's side window straight into my arm, embedding itself with a disgusting sounding thunk.

Shocked and nauseated by the searing pain, I unbuckled myself and tried to get out of the car, stumbling to the pavement as everything around me began to shift and move. Thwick!

   "AHHHHHHH!" I screamed again as a second arrow hit my thigh.

I looked up to see Kai rapidly approaching me, crossbow at the ready.

   "Leaving so soon?"

I was getting woozy, and I struggled to see his face as my vision got fuzzier and fuzzier. Oh Lord, I can't bleed out. I reached up to try and find anything to use as a tourniquet, but Kai pushed my arms back to their sides as he bent down and picked me up, carrying me bridal style back towards the house. NO! I struggled in his arms, trying to escape, but the blood loss, pain and panic was making it hard to stay conscious.

   "You...crazy son of a..."

His smirking face was the last thing I saw before everything went black.

   "Ughhh..." I groaned as I began to regain consciousness. As my vision adjusted I saw that I was laid out on a plush couch in a place that I didn't recognize. My arm and thigh were wrapped up in white gauze, and I winced when I tried to sit up as I felt stabbing pain go through my wounds. I gave up and laid back down. Where the hell am I? The room was huge, paneled with deep dark wood, and rich carpet blanketed the floor.

   "Oh good, you're awake. How do you feel?"

I turned my head to see Kai sitting on the couch opposite from me, staring at me with a look of concern? Observation? Regret? I couldn't tell.

   "Like you shot me with an arrow. Twice."

   "Yeah, well it could have been three. After what you said I really  wanted to kill you, but..."

He trailed off, and several expressions flickered across his face before he settled on what seemed to be his default, a boyish smile.

   "But I didn't, for whatever reason. I don't know why." he said, glancing down at his nails and letting his gaze linger on them for a moment.

He got up and walked over to me, and I shifted away from him as far as I could manage before he squatted down next to the couch, his eyes boring into mine. I tried not to let my fear show, but I knew it was futile as he seemed to register that I was terrified.