Page 18 of Mayhem

“Hailee, I don’t want to alarm you, but I think there is a car behind us that is following us. Don’t look. Stare forward and when I count to three, I’m going to grab your hand and we are going to take off running for the back fence. Do not let go of my hand. Understand?” I whisper.

“I understand,” she says, voice shaking.

“Good. Three. Two. One. Run.” We take off at a sprint, her hand securely inside mine. I can hear the car’s engine rev as it speeds toward us, but I pull Hailee, taking a hard left between two trailers and onto the next street over. I do this two more times until we make it to the back fence. I hold open the opening in the fence for Hailee to go through first before joining her. I grab her hand again, taking off in the house’s direction.

Glancing over my shoulder, I watch as the car screeches to a stop, but the occupant doesn’t get out. Instead, they sit there. Watching.

I look forward, weaving through the trees, careful to keep Hailee with me. When we make it to the clearing for the house, my heart drops. There are no cars.

I run up to the door, trying the handle.

“Fuck,” I curse.

“What?” Hailee asks, looking around, her hand still has a death grip on mine.

“It’s locked. Come on.”

Skirting around the other side of the house, I’m startled when a man comes running from the woods wearing all black.

“Keep back,” I yell at him.

“Calm down, Willow.”

“How do you know my name?” I demand.

“Rocky and Nate will be here any minute. I’m here to keep you safe. I’m going to unlock the door, then I want you to go inside and lock it behind me.”

I’m still wary of the man, but he gives us a wide berth, making his way to the front of the house. I watch as he pulls out a key, opening the door.

“Go on in and lock the door. You’ll be safe.”

Hailee makes her way toward him, but I’m still unsure, pulling her back to me.

“How did you know we were here?”

“Distrustful.” He smiles. “Good. I monitor the security of this place. You set off the sensors. When I saw you running, I figured something must be wrong, but there was nothing behind you. I’m going to go patrol, but Rocky will be here shortly.”

Satisfied, at least for the moment, I move toward the door, pushing Hailee inside first, and shut the door in the man’s face. Once the door is locked, the man jogs back the way he came.

“What the fuck is going on?” Hailee asks, breathlessly.

“Long story. Sorry I got you involved.”

“Are you okay? Who was that guy? Where are we?” she asks, rapid-fire.

“You don’t know what’s in the woods?”

“The Rockford residence. No one gets close enough to see it, though. Why did we?”

“I’ve been here before.”

“When I covered your bruise, right?”

“The night before, yes. I got involved in something I shouldn’t have. I think the guy who did that to my face was the one following us today.”

“He knows where you live?”

I shrug. “It’s not that hard to find out.”

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