Chapter Seven

 My fingers shook dramatically and Gee seemed to get more worried.

“Um, yes?” I replied automatically and Gee gave me a funny look.

“You sound a bit apprehensive.” Peter chuckled.

“And why would that be?” I leaned against the edge of my kitchen counter, smiling.

“I’m about to ask you something very important.” His voice scared me and I stiffened, smile fading.

He replied, not waiting for me, “do you honestly think that the man you are sitting with cares about you?”

“Of course.” Hesitantly, I looked around, not caring about Gee sitting with a horrified expression, and peeked through my curtains. Sure enough there he was standing on the sidewalk, staring into my windows, talking on a phone. I gasped and tried for his thoughts.

“It won’t work, Ava.” I watched him hang up and walk to the front door. I shoved my phone in my pocket and grabbed my duffel bag from under the couch. My feet carried me to my bedroom in a hurried pace. I shoved all of the things in my closet and drawers into the bag that I would fit. Inside my bathroom, I filled my mesh bag until it was full. Suddenly there was a warm hand on my shoulder. I turned around gasping, but sighed when I saw Gerard and practically melted.

“What is your problem?”

“You have to get out of here. Your life is in danger.”

“What are you talking about? Who was that on the phone?” he hooked his thumb backward, but I was too occupied with controlling my thoughts.

“Ava, c’mon…” his voice faded into the backyard of my mind as I pushed my fingertips into my temples. Every thought in my apartment, down the street, within a two mile radius flooded my mind and I almost fell back. The thought I was finally listening for came to mind, or so I thought.

‘What the heck is she doing?’ it was Gerard, but I pushed it away. He was going to be a problem. I searched for Peter’s voice. Why can’t I hear him? What had I done? I couldn’t bring anything to mind. Frustrated, I pushed farther than two miles. Maybe two miles and a half, I wasn’t sure and then something wrecked my concentration. I felt the ground reach my face and I groaned.

“Ava? Ava? Are you okay? Ava, talk to me.” Gerard lightly brushed my bangs back and touched my lips gingerly.

“Yeah.” I groaned and rolled over on my back. What was that? “Did you hit me?” I opened my eyes and looked at him sceptically.

“No!” he looked confused, but still helped me up.

“Wait…I have to get you out of here.”

“What about you?”

“Oh, I’m coming too.” I ran to my room and grabbed my bags and coat. “Get all you took.”

“I just came with me. Ava, tell me what’s going on.” He stopped me with a hand on my shoulder and it burned even more than usual. Quickly, I shoved it off and tried to look in his eyes.

“I don’t know.” I tried my hardest to put every feeling inside of me into my eyes so Gee would see jus how scared I was.

“Okay.” He sighed understandingly and took one of my bags, so I gave him a warm, determined smile and we silently left down the stairs.

  When all you can hear are your own feet and the person’s behind you, every sound starts flooding your mind and makes you go crazy.

One flight of stairs…

Two flights of stairs…

Three flights of stairs…