MYSTIQUE 1
I can still sense someone after me. I know Grimm hasn’t given up, but I need to get out of here before he catches me and takes me back. I hope I can get to safety soon; my side is burning from where he clawed me.
My breathing is ragged. Since running away from the pack last night, I have only stopped twice for a few minutes to rest before continuing. I need to get out of the area and into safety soon or I will be dead. Coming up to the edge of the forest, I look both ways onto the road, my heart racing as I search for any evidence of Grimm.
Taking in a deep breath, I wait to hear any cars approaching so that I can ask for a lift. I know that it might take some time, but sooner or later I’m sure someone will take pity on me and give me a lift. At the moment, I don’t care which way I go as long as I get out of the area.
Every minute that passes feels like an eternity, my fear rising as the risk of being caught grows higher. Finally, in the distance, I can hear the sound of a vehicle approaching. Taking in a deep breath, I step away from the protection of the trees and onto the edge of the road. A minute later, a red car is speeding towards me. Raising my arms, I start waving them about, hoping that they will stop at my desperate appeal.
To my surprise, the car starts to slow and finally pulls over just ahead of where I’m standing. Rushing towards the driver's side, I see a man that must be in his late fifties looking at me with concern in his eyes.
“Do you need help, dear?” The wrinkles next to his eyesprofess to his happy personality.
“Yes please, I need to get away from here.” I don’t know if it’s my desperate appeal or the state that I’m in, but he nods, inclining his head towards the passenger side.
Rushing around the car, I slide in, closing the door behind me. I take a deep breath as I look over at him, only to find him watching me without driving off.
“Please. Let’s go before he catches me.” At my words, his eyebrows raise but he quickly puts the car into gear and pulls away.
I look over my shoulder at where I just came from but can’t see anything. Hopefully, now that I’m in the car, Grimm will lose my scent.
“You want to tell me what you are running away from, dear?” I look back at the man, only now seeing that he has a prosthetic arm.
I wonder what happened there.
His expression is kind and I hope that I am not getting him into trouble because if Grimm ever follows my scent to this poor man, he will kill him.
“There is someone after me, and if he catches me, then he will kill me.”
“Did he do that?”
I look down towards my side to see my hoodie coated in blood from where Grimm clawed at me. It is burning like fire, but there is nothing to be done until I am able to get somewhere safe and wash my wounds.
“Yes, he did,” I whisper. I can’t tell him that Grimm is a shifter, because this poor man will think I’m crazy and leave me on the side of the road again.
“I will take you to the nearest police station. They will deal with him.” He seems genuinely upset for me, but I can’t let him take me to the police station.
“No, please,” I plead. “They will try to bring him in, and then he will find me again.” I shake my head vehemently. “Please just get me as far away as possible from here.”
“Well, dear, I am only going into town,” he replies with a frown. “Maybe you would like to go to the hospital to get that looked at?”
“I will clean it out once I’m safe. For now, I just need to get away.”
“Do you know where you are going to?” I consider telling him, but then change my mind. If Grimm somehow catches my scent and gets to him, he will get the information out of him. Shaking my head, I lay it back against the headrest and close my eyes.
“I can drop you off at the bus station and you can get a bus somewhere?”
I open my eyes to look at him. That would be perfect, but I don’t have any money with me. I was planning on leaving, but not like this. Unfortunately, Grimm found out and tried to stop me.
“I don’t have any money,” I whisper, feeling the tears fill my eyes when I think of the dire situation, I am in.
“It’s okay, dear. I will give you money for the bus if you are sure that is what you want to do. You can also come home with me if you like, just to clean out that wound and maybe rest before catching the bus. My wife wouldn’t mind at all.”
His kindness has tears finally conquering the tight hold I had on them, and they start to run down my cheeks unchecked. “Thank you so much. I will accept the money, and you taking me to the bus stop too. I promise I will pay you back.”
“Just make sure you get to safety, dear. I will give you, my number. Maybe you can send me a message or a phone call once you’re settled and safe, letting me know that you are, okay?” After hours of running in the forest, trying not to get caught, unsure of the possibility of actually getting out, I still can’t believe that I found this kind, sweet man to help me.
Maybe, just maybe, if I make it to Fang, I will find happiness. I don’t even know if Fang will remember me, or if he will want to help me? He was six years older than me when he left. I was just a kid at the time, but I knew then that he was mine.