Page 4 of Some Like it Violent

But they meant nothing to me. They were irrelevant. They were shit on the bottom of my boot.

I jumped from the bus, landing hard on the uneven ground, adrenaline surging through my veins. The fresh air hit me like welcoming arms, and I inhaled it deeply.

Fuck. Freedom was exhilarating.

Without looking back, I headed for the cover of the forest, adrenaline was like an intense drug running through my veins that propelled me forward. I tore through the underbrush, my boots crunching over fallen leaves and forest debris. But the only thing I could focus on was that each step I took had me farther from the road and closer to freedom.

I knew they called in help as soon as that tire popped. Who knew how long backup would take to arrive. There would be choppers in the sky and dogs tearing through the forest searching for us—me.

I needed to disappear until things calmed down and it was safe enough for me to make my next move. And I didn’t stop until the tree line opened.

I’d been moving through the fucking forest for what seemed like hours, and by now, the sky was darkening, and the scent of impending rain filled the air. I was fucking tired, and my whole body ached now that adrenaline wasn’t fueling my entire system.

When I got to the tree line, I stayed at the edge, keeping hidden in the shadows as I scanned the area in front of me. In the distance, I spied a small town.

It was the kind of town that probably held a shitload of secrets, and because it was small and intimate, those secrets stayed buried from outsiders. Lights were flickering on as night descended, and that's what I needed.

Total darkness.

I heard helicopters in the distance this entire time, those fuckers trying in vain to find me. But I kept to the thickest points of the forest. I hadn’t heard dogs, but I knew they were here, so I crossed the several creeks I came across and used the water to hide my scent.

For long minutes, I stood there and took everything in. I stayed hidden, my breaths slow and even, my mind already calculating my next actions. I moved then, following the tree line of the forest’s edge until I came to a weathered cabin on the outskirts of town.

The home was two-story but tiny, and it was set back from the dirt road, partially hidden by overgrown weeds and flora from the woods. There wasn't any movement inside, at least from what I could tell, with the windows facing me being dark. But there was an older car parked in the driveway, and I could see and smell smoke as it curled slowly up from the chimney on the other side of the cabin.

Someone was home, which would make this more challenging but not impossible. I hadn’t planned on taking a hostage—or killing another person to further my escape plan—but I’d do what I had to in order to stay free.

I felt the sudden rush of arousal and adrenaline at the thought of taking what I needed no matter the cost. But I regained focus, standing and evaluating my situation a while longer, and made sure I took in every aspect of the home’s surroundings.

The house was isolated and vulnerable. Perfect. The inhabitant didn’t know what the fuck they were in store for. But soon, they’d have their quiet world shattered.

And I was ready to be the person who brought hell upon their earth.

3

EVELINA

Night had already descended into a heavy cloak around the entire house. Realizing I couldn’t see the words on the page of the book I was reading even with the small fire I had going in the fireplace, I reached over and turned on the small table lamp on the end table by my ratty, ’70s-style couch. It would be the only light I kept on inside for the entire night, just so I wouldn’t feel so isolated.

I set my book down and reached for my mug of tea. I glanced out the living room window, observing the moon glow through the top branches of the forest. The trees swayedfrom the force of the wind, and the news said a storm was brewing that would last for the next several hours.

Living on the outskirts of my little town had its pros… and cons.

I loved that my two-story cabin afforded peace and privacy, but there was also the disadvantage that I was far away from everything and everyone. Not to mention this home had sat empty for a decade and the improvements I’d been doing to it since I bought the place a year ago took up all my free time.

Then, there was the solitude which was especially heavy when night fell and the fact that I was truly alone settled in. Every creak and groan of the house sounded louder—more sinister.

I took one more sip of tea, set my mug down, and was about to go back to reading when I thought I glimpsed movement right by the edge of the woods. My body went on alert, and I sat up straighter, my focus and preparedness rising to the forefront of… everything.

My heart started racing, and I felt adrenaline spike in my bloodstream.

The dark figure was massive, but then again, maybe it was just a deer? I’d seen plenty since living this close to the woods.

“It’s just a deer,” I whispered to myself, my laser-sharp focus still on the window and the property right outside. Despite that, I got up, checked the windows and doors, and made sure everything was locked. Just in case.

The sound of the locksclickinginto place made my nerves settle a little more. With one last glance out the window and not seeing any other shadows, I headed upstairs to the bathroom to shower before bed.

I stayed in the shower longer than normal, letting the almost scalding-hot water wash over my aching muscles. I let my mind drift, relaxing under the steady pulse of the spray. Everything felt calm, peaceful even, as the heat chased away the last remnants of my tension and my full day of work.

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