Page 109 of I Don't Need Your Protection

I nod and follow him out the door. He tells me we have to be careful to avoid the security guard outside.

We manage to sneak outside, and Hudson leads me into the forest. There’s light around campus, but as we enter the forest, it gets really dark. And spooky. I hug my arms around myself, mentally berating myself for not fetching a jacket.

Why did Caleb go after Warner? Was he angry with him for mistreating me?

“Darn it, Caleb,” I mutter under my breath. “You couldn’t just leave things be?”

It’s like he’s my knight in shining armor fighting for my honor or something. Gosh, I hope neither of them gets hurt.

“Where are they?” I ask Hudson, hugging myself tighter due to the cold.

“Just a bit further.”

As we walk deeper into the forest, the hairs on my arms rise. Something doesn’t feel right. I can’t explain it, but I start to wonder about the truth of Hudson’s story.

In the distance, I spot a group of guys. Guys who don’tlook like Warner or Caleb. They’re older, like in their thirties.

Hudson turns his head to me, and there’s this look in his eyes that makes a strong shiver rush down my spine.

Someone on my left grabs my arm. It’s a guy dressed in black, wearing a mask to hide his identity.

Oh my gosh. It’s the people who want me dead. They’re here. In my school. They’ve come to finish me off like they did my parents.

“Let me go!” I cry as I struggle against his hold. But he’s got a good grip.

He reaches into my pocket and tosses my phone away. If there was any chance of me calling for help, it’s gone.

He holds onto me tightly and starts dragging me somewhere, ignoring my kicking and screaming. He covers my mouth to muffle my yells. Is he going to kill me and hide my body? No. I willnotdie tonight. I’ll fight until the end.

I slam my leg into his shin, and he cries out, releasing me. I scramble away from him, running as fast as I can.

“Get her!” someone shouts.

Glancing behind me, I catch Hudson and a few others chasing after me.

This can’t be happening. Thiscannotbe happening. Where’s Caleb? Where are the security guards my grandfather planted here? Did everyone abandon me?

Is Caleb in on this, too? Has he been pretending to be my bodyguard all this time when he’s really with the enemy?

My heart and entire body shatter at the thought. Tears fill my eyes when it dawns on me that I can’t trust anyone. I’mtotally and completely alone in this world.

As I run for my life, I realize this is just like my nightmare. Except, I’m not searching for Mom and Dad because they’re dead. Killed by these people who want to kill me too.

Every part of me urges to call out for help, but that would pinpoint my exact location to the people chasing me.

I focus on running. I have no idea where I’m going, but the important thing is that I’m fleeing from these people. I can hear branches and twigs snap under their shoes as they hunt for me.

Will rushing back to school help me? What if every single person there is in cahoots with the enemy? Who can I trust?

Caleb…Caleb. How could he betray me like this?

I don’t know how long I run, but my feet are killing. They feel like lead. How much longer can they support me? Will I soon collapse and will these people succeed in their mission?

“Mom, Dad,” I whisper. Tears splash down my cheeks as I continue sprinting. “Help me. Please help me.”

A body slams into mine and I tumble to the ground. Three men stand over me. Hudson isn’t here.

One guy grabs my arm, yanking me to my feet.