Chapter 4

The forest was unsafe; I realized this after my nightmare. I wasn't going to go down like that. I checked my phone. There was ten messages and eleven missed calls. Half of the missed calls were from the blocked number, the others were from Fabian, but did that shock me? Five of the messages were also from Fabian, while the others were from Lily. 

Lily's were just about how much she cared about me and how much she wished I would just come back home. I couldn't do that, I didn't know if I could ever return home. I didn't read Fabian's texts yet, instead I found myself calling David. I dialed his number and had a lot of trouble pressing the green call button. I finally gathered enough courage to press the button. The phone started to ring, and I silently prayed he would answer.

It's been forever since I've heard his voice, and I needed this, so much. I frowned and went to hang up when he finally answered.

"Monica?"

"Hey babe, yeah, it's me." Now that he answered, I didn't know what to say.

"Where are you? There's a lot of static."

"Oh, I'm just out walking." 

"Oh, well be careful honey, it's getting late."

"I will be. David, I just wanted to call and say I love you so much and you're everything I've ever dreamed of."

"Baby, you know I love you, too. Why are you talking like this? Is everything okay," concern flooded his voice. I hated lying to him, but what else cold I do?

"Lie!"

"Wait, David what did you just say?" I swore I just heard something, but why did David's voice sound different?

"I asked if everything was okay. Is everything okay," he sounded sick with worry.

"Tell him you have to go, Monica. NOW!"

I shook my head, trying to shake the voice out. Great, now I'm crazy!

"Oh, don't flatter yourself, you aren't crazy," spoke the voice in my head.

"David, I'm okay, I'm just--"

"Monica, just what, please don't go! Hello?" Then the line went dead. No! My phone beeps and I knew why. I lost service. Can anything go my way? I felt bad for lying to David, but I couldn't tell him what was going on.

I remembered, then, about the voice in my head. I got out of the car slowly, only to be met by the rapid gusts of wind. I hugged my jacket closer, trying to keep the warmth it offered to my body. Before I shut the door, I reached into he car to start it, cranking the heat up on high.

I searched around the car for anything out of place. I didn't see anything unusual, but I couldn't ignore the feeling in my gut. My gut told me to get back in the car, based on the past few days, I trusted my gut. The wind whipped my hair around and I couldn't see clear, but I thought I saw something move.

"Because something did." There was that voice in my head again! I dove into my car and slammed the door shut, locking them. I shifted into reverse and that's when I saw him. There was a crazed looking guy standing in front of my car. He was staring at me with a look so intense I almost stayed, almost.

I gave the car gas and quickly sped backwards. The guy just looked at me for a second and suddenly started chasing after me. I found myself chuckling as I thought, "What the Hell did someone put in my perfume that all these guys are chasing me?"

I reached the edge of the forest when the sun hit the guy. He wasn't a scary man; he looked to be about my age. I stopped the car suddenly, and he couldn't slow down quick enough and ran into my car. I really wasn't off to a great start with this guy, but he practically gave me a heart attack.

 Who knows how long he was out there, watching me. He picked himself off the ground and dusted the dirt and leaves from his body. He walked up to my window and motioned for me to roll it down. Was this really happening? He was patiently waiting for me to roll down my window.

I kept the car in reverse and rolled the window down about an inch so he could talk to me. He frowned when he saw I hadn't rolled it down all the way.

"You don't have to be scared of me, you know," he stared intensely at me. He patiently waited for me to say anything. He looked afraid, but only by his eyes. "Would you please get out of the car? I'm not going to hurt you."

I chuckled to myself, and before he would respond, "Yeah, I've heard that one before. Look, I'm sure you're real sweet kid--" 

"Kid," he exclaimed, " I'm not a kid, I'm seventeen. What are you doing out here, in the middle of nowhere, alone anyways? It seems to me that you are just asking for trouble."

What was it with these guys? They act like they know everything. Maybe I was hiding, but what is it to him? He wouldn't guess that though, how could I expect him to? He didn't know what was going on in my life, he didn't know me. 

As quick as my anger came, it faded. He looked scared, as he glanced around. He noticed I was studying him and shifted uncomfortably . I knew then that this boy wasn't going to hurt me. I shifted the car into park and shut the engine off. He didn't look so tense or nervous once the engine died out. I debated whether or not to get out of the car.

"Um, I really hate to ask this, but if you knew what I have gone through, you wouldn't blame me. Can you please turn your pockets inside out?" 

He looked confused, "What? Why? I don't have anything in my pockets." He didn't look like he was lying, but could I trust him? I was going to have to, I opened the door halfway, and then stopped. I didn't want to hit him with the door, but he wouldn't move from his spot. He was just staring at me. I felt myself blush under his agonizing stare.

"What? Is there something on my face?" I went to touch my face when his voice froze me to the bone. It was cold and deep, unlike his polite scared voice seconds ago.

"Don't move or you'll get hurt." I gasped, and then lamely started choking on the sharp intake of cold air. I calmed down and slowly shuddered when I heard a voice in my head other than mine. 

 "I've been sent to help you. Would you mind slowing down all the questions you are screaming? Ah, that's so much better. Now, where was I? Oh, yes, I am here to help you, but you must hear me out and then you must invite me to accompany you. Don't speak out loud, or they will hear you."

I opened my mouth to speak, when he shot me the coldest glare a human could manage.

"DON'T SPEAK," he screamed in my head. 

I held my head in agony, "Could you NOT do that again? What happened to not hurting me, huh?"

"I only yelled because I thought you were going to speak out loud. You can't do that, your voice reaches creatures you can't even begin to imagine." My head was spinning, did this guy know me? Do I have another stalker? I could barely handle the one I had! Now I have another, who not to mention, can hear my thoughts! 

I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Man, I wish this was a dream. I wish I could wake up and find this isn't real, that none of this is real.

"This is all real, Monica. It's time to face the music, as they say."

"Could you please stop talking for one minute? Is that possible? I really need to pull it together. There's no way you can hear my thoughts, let alone talk to me in my own head."

"There is a way, and it is possible, clearly."

"Dude, I just need a moment of silence!" I started pacing back and forth. Just when I didn't think things could get any stranger, this guy shows up in the middle of the forest and can read my mind! While I was busy freaking out, this mysterious guy walks to the back of my car and with a snap of his fingers, the doors unlock. My jaw fell open as he opened the trunk and grabbed some water from the cooler.

"Are you done analyzing everything yet? I would love to explain things to you, if you are ready to hear me out."

"Yes..." I trailed off, not so sure of what was yet to come. I knew this road was about to get even bumpier, figuratively speaking. He let out a laugh before he realized he laughed out loud. He straightened up and his face became serious.

He glanced around; his eyes becoming wide and his face pale, as he grew very tense and afraid.

"Invite me with you," he screamed, his voice hurting every area in my head.

"I don't know you. I don't know if I'm safe with you. I don't--"

"INVITE ME! We don't have time for this!" As his voice drowned out in my head, I noticed the wind had picked up. My hair was whipping around my face violently; I knew I had to make a decision. I have no idea what made me do it, but I did.

"Fine, lets go. Well don't just stand there, get in!" I unlocked the doors, hardly realizing that they were already unlocked, and started the car. He jumped in and I put the car in reverse and floored it.

"Are we going left or right," I questioned softly. I didn't know if it was okay to speak out loud yet.

"Right," he mumbled. Good, the opposite way that Christian and the guys went. Maybe I'd actually lose them; maybe I'd be safe... No, stop. I couldn't let myself imagine and hope for things that might not happen. It will only lead to disappointment, and I can't afford to lose focus. I'm really sick of running from my fears.

"Is it okay for us to speak out loud now," I questioned, peering at him from the corner of my eyes. He flinched at the sound of my voice. I was really freaked out by this whole talking-in-my-head thing.

"Yes," he spoke. His voice sure did sound different out loud than when he spoke in my mind.

"Okay, so first, what the heck is your name? Better yet, how long were you watching me?" I had a million questions I wanted to ask, and I wanted answers to all of them.

"Slow down, we have plenty of time. My name is Xavier. As for why I was watching you, well, that's a long story."

"You said we have time, Xavier."

 

 

 

Author's Note

What do we think of Xavier?