Calling Carter.

I was stomping. Like a small child having a tantrum. Very scary, I’m sure. I still had the note crushed in my fist. My hand throbbed, and my knuckles were all bleeding. I uncrushed the note and studied it. Then, just cause I could, I checked the back, half expecting something to be there. Nothing. Damn.

My phone buzzed, indicating I had a txt. I snarled, but decided to look at it anyway.

Unknown Sender:

Come to your favourite place, come see your favourite person.

So. Caidan wanted to play games, did he?

Let’s play, Caidan. I thought.

I knew where he wanted me. I continued walking. I would see him at View Hill. Too late, I remembered I didn’t have the knife. Oh well. I’d kill him with my bare hands. I was certainly angry enough to do it. The anger was what I was concentrating on, because if I let my fear and worry out I was afraid I’d stop moving and just freeze. I didn’t want to be useless. I couldn’t let myself do nothing. So I forced myself to feed on my anger and lust for Caidan’s blood.

I was on the top of View Hill and making my way to my tree when another txt came in.

Just not yet.
Still from Caidan.

Bastard. He knew I would be almost there and let me get all the way up this hill and then told me she wasn’t there. But, I didn’t know where else to go. I had no idea where he would have hidden her. Fuck, fuck, FUCK! This wasn’t good.

Another txt.

Soon, don’t worry. Do you regret it yet?

I was tempted to txt back. But I didn’t acknowledge him. I jumped as my phone rang. My latest ringtone was a Disturbed song. Get psycho.

Get psycho!
I wanna get psycho!
Get psycho!
I wanna wanna wanna wanna…
Wanna get psycho!

I answered. It was Carter.

“Hello?”

“Where are you, Si?” He sounded pissed, but mainly worried.

“Coming home now.” I answered, avoiding the question.

“That doesn’t tell me where you are.”

“I know. I’ll be home soon. Don’t worry. Five minutes. Okay?”

He sighed. “Five? Promise?”

I smiled. “Yes, Carter, I promise. I’m coming back right now.” And I was, I was walking down the hill, making my way back to the track.

“Good. And Silah?” He said, sounding uncertain.

“Yeah?” I asked softly.

“I… oh, don’t worry. I’ll see you soon, okay? You have four minutes now.” He hung up. I stared at my phone, frowning. What was he going to say? I walked a little faster. He was going to lecture me for punching the door... And pulling my stitches… and walking off by myself… and… bugger. Might as well get it over with.

I had about thirty seconds left when I warily opened the front door of Carter’s house. The blood I had left on it was gone. I had put the note in my pocket. The door opened silently.

“Si!” Carter greeted me with a tight bear hug. I hadn’t even seen him move, but I could have sworn he had been sitting on the couch. I was sure he’d been on the couch…

“Aw, crap!” I’d meant to greet Carter with words generally used in greetings but my arm was bleeding again. Now that the stitches were out, it had started bleeding every time I moved my arm more than a few centimetres. “Shit,” I swore quietly. Now I was definitely gonna hear it.

“Please, please don’t disappear like that again.” Carter pleaded in my ear, as if he hadn’t noticed.

Totally surprised, I studied his face. “What?” I asked. Had I heard right? Where was the lecture? “Didn’t Adam tell you I had…” Gone off by myself, absolutely pissed, after trying to punch a hole through solid oak? Yeah, cause that didn’t sound stupid. Sad thing was, it was true. And definitely stupid.

“He’s pretty much useless at the moment. I made him stay with mum. After I got him to calm down, he said you tried to break your hand on my front door and then left.”

I looked down. “I’m sorry. I’m scared, Carter. What if I can’t get her back? He’s playing with me, trying to piss me off and go to him. And I nearly did.”

He held me tighter. “It’s okay,” he whispered, “you’re here. And … I don’t think he’ll kill her. He’s using her as bait. You can’t go unless we know she’s alive, okay?” He held my shoulders and looked at me until I agreed. I felt my eyes fill with tears but shut them until I knew I wouldn’t cry.

“Carter,” I asked suddenly, “What were you going to say on the phone?”