Chapter 11

Kevin POV:

Sarah and I were cuddling on the floor in the living room watching a movie with everyone. Emma and Shawn were sharing the leather rocker, and Maika and Carlee were sitting on the matching leather couch but were on opposite sides from each other.

I'm not exactly sure what we were watching but I guess that's because I've kept my main focus on Sarah. She kept laughing and smiling. Sometimes she would notice that I was staring at her and she would smile at me. She was so beautiful when she smiled. It was as if she glowed. Her smile lit up my heart and made me feel light inside.

Something sternly shook me, waking me from sleeping. I took in a deep breath and quickly looked around for the problem, but only saw Sarah intently staring at me. "Are you okay?" I asked her.

She nodded. "I'm just scared." Sarah nuzzled into my chest and I wrapped my arms around her.

I looked behind me and everyone else was asleep except us. Guess no one else liked the movie. "Why are you scared?" I kissed the top of her head.

"Do you think whatever was out in the woods is gone?" She looked up at me.

I smiled. "I'm sure it was just a bunny or something." Liar. You know she's still out here and you know she's here for Sarah. Helen may even want to kill Sarah for all you know.

"You're right." She leaned against me again and breathed out.

A screeching sound came from the woods and filled the entire room. Everyone jolted awake and we looked at each other with wide eyes. Once the screech ended, we continued to stare at each other.

That screech didn't sound like it came from any earthly animal but it did sound like something from my home. Did Helen bring others?

"What was that?" Carlee asked in a shaky voice.

I stood up with Sarah attached to my arm. "I'll go check it out. Everyone else stay here." I looked down at Sarah.

Her grip tightened. "No, please, don't go out there alone."

I gently pulled away from her and kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back." I made eye contact with Emma as I turned to run out the front door. A look was in her eye, but I couldn't tell what it was because I was in too much of a hurry.

I ran out into the middle of the woods and looked around. "Helen, I know you're out there! Leave us alone! Get out of here! We don't want any trouble!" I yelled out.

No response.

I heard twigs breaking behind me. I sharply turned around expecting to see Helen, but it was Sarah instead. I was both happy and upset to see her. "Sarah! What are you doing out here?"

She walked up to me and grabbed my hand. "I wasn't going to let you come out here alone."

I breathed out and pulled her closer to me. "Where is everyone?"

"They're coming. Did you find out what it was?"

I shook my head lying to her.

"Then let's go look for it. It has to be out here somewhere." She started walking deeper into the forest but I stopped her.

"Sarah, I don't think that's a good idea. We don't know what it is or what it's capable of."

"Kevin, I feel threatened." She looked up at me with fire in her eyes. "All of my friends and my brother are here. We have to do something!"

I need to protect her and make her feel safe. "Okay, let's go."

She smiled and we started walking again. We heard footsteps and stopped. "It must be them," she walked back into the direction of the house.

I looked up and saw red eyes peering through the branches in the trees right above Sarah's head. I ran toward Sarah. "Sarah! Stop!"

The thing screeched and jumped from the trees. I threw myself in front of Sarah but the thing clawed my face, knocking me out of the way. It grabbed Sarah and jumped back into the trees.

"Kevin!"

I got up and felt the blood run down my neck from the scratches the thing left on my face. "Sarah!" I screamed out for her but I didn't hear anything else.

Sarah's gone. She's gone. My chest burned from the pain. I kept replaying the way her eyes looked at me when she was kidnapped. She was scared and I promised to protect her. Helen is capable of anything now. I had to get Sarah back however I could. I heard more footsteps and I felt anger rise up inside of me as I waited for something else to attack.