But that dance… the way Chancey described it… what she’d been wearing… thoselyrics. Ava was taunting me— showing me just how much of a mistake I’d made. She wanted me to hurt the way I’d hurt her when that fucked up shit had come out of my mouth.
And it worked. I felt terrible.
I didn’t know how long it took for me to finally drift off, but when I did, nightmares assaulted me. Images formed in my mind, which was weird, because I never dreamed with sight. I had no visual memories left to speak of. Even weirder, it didn’t strike me as odd at the time. I just let the dream carry me naturally, letting it lead me to where it wanted me to go.
* * *
I pushed a door open and stepped outside into the night air. The sky was dark, but the sidewalk was lit by streetlamps. The parking lot was nearly deserted. Ahead of me, cars whizzed by on the freeway.
My heart raced, and I quickened my step. Something felt awfully wrong.
“What’s the rush?” a girl beside me laughed. “We have all the time in the world.”
I glanced at her. Her black curls and freckled nose were as familiar to me as my own features. I reached for her wrist, where she wore a green bracelet that matched my own red band. “Don’t look now, Monica, but I think someone’s following us.”
Monica swung her head around and gasped. I didn’t glance behind, but I knew there were two of them.
“I said don’t look,” I hissed.
Monica’s voice shook. “Ava, they’re getting closer.”
I could see our car up ahead, parked in the shadows. My pulse quickened the closer we got, but it felt like a mile away.
We could make it. I knew we could.
“Hey,” a man called from behind us. “We’re looking for directions. Think you can help us?”
My whole body shook. Something told me they were looking for more than just directions. Monica and I walked faster, like we hadn’t heard him.
“Hey, my friend asked you a question!” the second guy shouted. They were too close for us to escape, but we were going to try anyway.
“Run!” I shouted to Monica.
We broke into a sprint, and she headed to the driver’s side of the vehicle. I reached for the passenger door handle, but before I could grab it, something tangled in my hair. My whole body yanked backward, and strong arms wrapped around my middle.
“Ava!” Monica screamed, but I barely heard her over the sound of my heart hammering in my ears.
I thrust my elbow backward, but it met nothing but air.
If only we had magic. I could burn this motherfucker if I had Fire.
But I didn’t… I was too young. I couldn’t defend myself.
“Get off me!” I screamed.
A van skidded to a halt beside us. Doors opened, and the man yanked me toward the van. I immediately knew what they were going to do to me, and I’d never felt more terrified in my life.
“No!” I shrieked. “Help! Somebody help!”
But there was no one.
“Let her go, you psycho!” Monica shouted. She jumped on his back, but he threw his shoulder back and tossed her off of him.
“Get in the van, you bitch,” he growled as I continued to struggle.
“Get away from her!” Monica roared. She punched the guy across the mouth, and he swore.
I heard the sound of something click. Horror hit my gut when I looked over and saw a blade glisten in the light from the nearest streetlamp.
