Greed (13)
When I saw Jenna, my mouth dropped. When we ran away from the house, everything was so busy, crazy and scary that I didn't notice her until now. I don't know where she came from, but I suddenly remembered another voice from the woods. This is the most beautiful Jenna I have ever seen, but I am sure she still looks ten thousand times better than I am now. Like Abigail, she was slender, slender, with a fragile look, which made me cautious in embarrassment and didn't want to ruin her image. Her skin is as smooth as porcelain, and her eyes are a striking emerald green. Her rosebud-like mouth trembled with the force of her exhalation, her pale cheeks were reddened with force, and her strawberry hair curled around her heart-shaped face.
Although we are the same age, Jenna and I are not friends. We have never been. We are not in the same circle at school. Jenna is very popular, perfect, and rich. She always dresses well and wears expensive clothes. Her makeup and nails are perfect.
Jenna and Bright dated a few years ago, and most people think they are the ones who really belong to each other, including Jenna. She never took it as a secret that she still wanted him; she never tried to conceal her and his sexual behavior, or her hatred of me. I never know how to respond to her, so I tend to ignore her, which is easy most of the time.
However, sometimes she cannot be ignored, and so is her external behavior. Sometimes I even have to admit that she will make Bright change her mind at all costs. I really don't understand why he wasn't with her, why he broke up with her in the first place, or why he continued to choose me instead of her.
"Where are we going?" Jenna asked. This may be the first time she has spoken to me in three months. I have no opinion. I have almost no friends, I like this. I try not to think about them now, otherwise I might never see them again. It's okay, I told myself. I will come out of the pain of losing them. I have experienced worse things before, but I still feel sad for them. I hope that if they are not frozen, they can escape. If they are frozen, their death will be as quick and painless as possible. I hope there is any way to help them, but no. My family must come first, maybe in the future... ...
Maybe I can see them again in the future, but I don't have much hope for it. This is no longer the world I used to know. I was grasped by the knowledge I used to know. Now everything no longer exists. Everything will be different, and there will be more losses before all this is over.
"Antique shop."
"Where does Cade work?" Jenna screamed.
I blinked in surprise. Even Jenna knew that Cade worked in an antique shop. But of course she did. She might have her sights set on Bright, but Jenna is one of those people who knows where everyone she thinks important is working, hanging out, or living. "Yes."
"why?"
I did not answer this question. I'm not entirely sure I know why we are going there. I glanced behind me, but the shadow of the night was approaching us. As the spacecraft drifted away, only the continuous sliding sound reminded me that we are still being played with.
"I don't know where my parents are," Jenna whispered. "They are going out shopping. But they won't go too far. My mother hates that we have to walk around now, but after this happened I didn't see them anywhere near our house. I don't know where they are. . I waited for a few hours, and then I met Cade..."
I looked back at Brett, frowning at his gaze. Where are his parents? I'm curious. When I think of the families destroyed by what happened today, my heart aches.
Including my own.
I looked at my motionless mother. We still have her, and she still hopes to return to us, but is there really a chance? Even if not, I will not let these things control her.
"I waited, but they didn't come back." My attention returned to Jenna. She doesn't seem to talk to me anymore. On the contrary, she seems to be struggling to overcome her guilt and pain. I want to comfort her and assure her that she has done nothing wrong, but my words are of no use, I know this. She will blame herself until the pain is over. "I looked for them everywhere, but I dared not go far. I left them a note. Maybe I should go back."
"You can't do anything Jenna," I finally assured her. "We can't go back now, that thing is behind us."
Her piercing eyes moved behind us. "I left a note..."
"They will find it."
"Will they find me?"
I was heartbroken for her. "I hope so," I answered honestly.
"Can we survive?" Jenna asked tremblingly.
There is no answer to her question, and I don't even know why she asked it. "Go left," Cade ordered behind us.
I turned to the left, pushing Jenna and Abby, forcing them into the woods. We struggled through the thick bushes, and the three men hugged our mother for a tougher time. I turned back the same way and searched the woods quietly behind them. I tried to keep myself from losing control, trying to keep myself from falling into the panic and hustle and bustle of my skull, my veins were beating violently. But I am afraid that I will collapse. I survived when my father died but this time...
This is hell on earth.
"Bethany!" Brett whispered harshly. I slid a few feet deep into the woods, ignoring his words. That thing is somewhere outside. "Bethany come back to me!"
I was very angry at his command tone, but I did not obey him. I don't know why he thought I would obey him. Sāo moved for a while, and then someone grabbed my arm and tried to pull me back from the bush. "Bethany," Bright whispered in my ear. "Come on, we must get out of here."
"I know." I tried to take his arm, but he refused to let me go. "Brett!" I made a hissing sound, and my impatient mood tore me apart. He didn't let me go, but pulled me to the front and behind the others. We can't get past that thing, it's impossible. If we don’t stop it, it will just follow us to the store. "We must stop it, it won't go away!" I gasped. "We can't run it, it will only overtake us." This is true, we are exhausted. Except for Brett, none of us is a real athlete, although Cade's body is much better than I thought, because I have never seen him in gym class.
"Finally!" I shouted when he continued to pull me in spite of my protest. "We must finally stand up for ourselves! Bright, stop!"
My voice is almost sharp and I can hardly breathe, but I am right. If we do not take a stand, we will die. We have no way to escape it, no way to escape its ruthless approach. "This is Bright," I whispered. "That's it."
His eyes are shrouded in shadows at night, but I know their clear green is very good. I also know his stubborn jaw and the muscles on his cheeks. He is very painful and angry, but underneath this, I can only feel his care for me, for himself, for all of us.
He turned and left me. "Do you still have a gun?" he asked Cade.
They stopped running with us, and the splint sat on the ground between him and Aiden. I can't see Abby and Jenna, but I feel they are in the night, waiting for us to join them with bated breath. Cade's eyes were blindfolded, and his upper lip curled slightly as he looked at Brad. A stream of sweat ran down my spine, but even so, I still felt cold.
"Cade?" I asked, hoping to divert his attention from Brett.
When he glanced at me, a sneer slipped from his lips. He pulled the bulky duffel bag forward, unzipped it, and threw something at Brett. It wasn't until the moonlight was faint that I realized that it was another gun. I really want to ask him where he got the weapon, but now is not the time. He drew the shotgun from his shoulder, Aiden motioned for Abby and Jenna to move forward.
I took the key out of my pocket and handed it to Cade, my hand trembling. "Take Mom as an example." Aiden grabbed Abby's shoulder, and Cade gave the key to Jenna, explaining how to enter the room. Jenna's face was pale and trembling all over, Abby looked around, ready to cry, she tremblingly hugged Aiden, and then me.
"Come with us, Bethany," she pleaded.
"I can't. Go, Abby, to a safe place."
"I think you should go to Beth," Aiden said.
I shook my head, refused to be gentle, refused to wince and hide. I have been hiding for many years, sneaking quietly in my life, trying to hide in this world. I will not be silent tonight, I will do my best to protect my sister's safety. I must do this. If we can't all escape, I will at least give Abby enough time to get to a relatively safe place.
I hugged Abby, turned her around, and gently pushed her towards the plywood that was still holding our mother with my elbow. I can't watch her walk away. The two of them will fight our mother, but they will take her there. Abby is one of the most stubborn people I have ever met, and she will not fail.
"I'm fine, Brett."
"I love you."
My mouth dropped, and my heart dropped suddenly, in the same way. I know how he feels about me, knowing that he dreams of things I have never had, mainly because I rarely dream of anything. Life is too unstable for dreams that may never be realized. But he had never said this to me before, let alone announced it in front of my brother and Cade. (To be continued) (End of this chapter)