Page 57 of Done Waiting

I watch in horror as his hand reaches out, wrapping around her neck. The noises coming from her cease as she wildly pushes against his forearm, trying to make him stop.

I quietly move toward them, unsure what to do. All I know is I have to help the blonde before he kills her.

My eyes dart around, looking for a rock or large tree limb to hit him with.

My heart stutters as I spot a familiar dark hoodie pulled over the man’s head.Oh. My. God. It… It can’t be.

Realization slams into me, nearly making me sick.Oh. Shit. She was on the news. It’s… She’s Brittany Smith.

I feel like I’m going to vomit or pass out. A voice inside of me screams to either find something to hit him with or run away.

The girl lets out a final, strangled gasp, then her body goes still. The guy keeps pumping away, thrusting into her.

A loud sob escapes my lips. I lift my hand to stop it, but it’s too late.

His head lifts, eyes locking with mine, and I stop breathing.

No. No, no, no!

The malicious look in his cold eyes chills me to the bone. Through the buzzing in my ears, I’m dimly aware that he’s still fucking her.And she’s dead.

He thrusts one final time, his body shuddering with his release. The man never breaks eye contact with me, those familiar eyes boring into mine.

Everything happens in slow motion as he pulls his dick out of her. Tugging his jeans over his hips, a menacing smile is on his lips, his teeth bared.

Run.

Spinning on my heel, I blindly take off running. I trip over a rock in the unfamiliar woods, falling against a tree. I push off it, then continue running for my life.

Spots cloud my vision, a buzzing in my ear as the hysteria overwhelms me.

My sneakers pound against the ground, kicking up the dead leaves, the rustling sound loud in the quiet of the early morning morning. My breathing is heavy and panicked while my pulse bangs in my ears.

Just get back to your car and get the hell outta here.

I look around, disoriented. I should be out of the woods now, yet I’m not. Nothing looks familiar.Shit, I must have turned in the wrong direction.

My thoughts scramble inside my head wildly as I run.

I know who the killer is. I saw his face.

And now, he’s going to kill me.

Pumping my arms, I push my aching thighs to run faster, my flight response screaming that I need to keep going to stay alive. My stomach is rock hard from the fear coursing throughmy body, trying to overpower all logic. I gulp down my breaths, trying to stay quiet, even though the crunch of the leave beneath my shoes is as loud as a canon.

As I run around an unfamiliar building, I don’t see the huge tree root until it’s too late. My arms fly out, bracing for impact as I hit the ground hard, pain coursing through me.

Fuck. That hurts.

Get up, my brain screams.

Rolling onto my back, I sit up, looking over my shoulder.Is that the killer’s shadow? Has he caught up to me already?

Climbing to my feet, my movements are shaky, terror making my body tremor. Spotting a building up ahead, I run toward it.

If I can make it there, I can hide inside.

Pushing through the pain, I round the corner of the building, turning my head to look over my shoulder.

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