Page 19 of Stalked

With every ounce of strength I could muster, I ripped my wrist from his grasp, leaped off the bench, and grabbed a long, thick branch, bringing it hard against his head. And as he plummeted to the ground, I bolted toward the forest. Though I didn’t get far before I felt my body lunge forward and my legs kick back. The firm grip on my ankle caused me to wince. I let out a loud, piercing scream. “Help! I’m being attacked. Someone, help me!”

“Mercy, stop running from me, dammit. Just give me a chance to explain.”

I kicked him hard in the face with my other leg until he let go. I jumped back to my feet, sprinting deeper into the forest.

Honestly, I didn’t know where I was going, but I hoped and prayed someone would hear my screams.

“Help!” I shouted as loud as I could.

When I turned around, he was gone. A heavy sigh escaped as I crept through the brush and eyed the truck about a hundred feet ahead. Looking around one more time, I sprinted to the car. Once inside, I locked the doors and pulled my phone out of my pocket.

The asshole had turned my phone off.

Shit!

I powered it on, putting my hand back on the keys, which were still in the ignition. I tried again, but the car didn’t make a sound.

Please turn on, please turn on.

I gripped the keys so tightly that the house key dug painfully into my palm.

“Turn on!” I screamed.

A glowing green light shot like a lightning bolt out from my fingertips, instantly starting the engine. I quickly removed my trembling hand, unable to process what I had just witnessed.

“What the actual fuck?” I cried out.

My thoughts returned to the party—the drugs Nick had given me and what I saw because of it.

No. I’m not on anything right now. I’m sober. Clean.

The shock of what had just happened stunned me. I couldn’t move or think straight. Was it now fear that was causing me to hallucinate?

I looked up, watching movement ahead coming out of the forest. The stranger was standing there, watching me with those bright amber eyes so wide and, oddly, full of fear.

But why?

Shouldn’t he be angry that I got away? Not that I wasn’t thankful that I could escape him, but I wanted to know what he was so afraid of?

What is he doing?

His sleeves were now pulled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular arms and the red flame tattoo I had seen after the car accident.

My stomach churned, and I had to choke back the bile rising in my throat. Today was not the first time this man had seen me.

He was my stalker, and he’d finally come out to play.

CHAPTER 7

AS I RACEDhome, it seemed like time had slowed to an eerie pace. My screams and cries for Lily when I entered the door could have been heard for miles, and the panic on her face while she made the call to the police, would never leave my mind.

Who knew how long he’d been watching me or how long he planned to play this fucked up game? He also wasn’t what I pictured a stalker would look like; that was for sure. The man was handsome and charming, but then again, the devil himself was the master of deception.

After the police left, having taken my statement, Lily sat beside me on the edge of my mattress, clasping my hand for comfort. I did my best to explain what had happened, even mentioning the incident occurring right after my car crashed, relaying everything again for her.

It was all pieced together like a puzzle in my mind. That puzzle pointed tohim: the stalking, the accident, and the incident at the hospital.

I decided not to tell Lily or the officer about the strange green light and the surge of energy flowing through me. Honestly, I was having a difficult time believing it myself.

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