9
Phoenix ran out of the hut into the woods. ‘Ash where are you?’
He searched. ‘Don’t fuck about Ash I’ll find you, you’re coming back with me!’
He ran deeper into the woodland. Her hair bounced off her shoulders. He grabbed her. ‘Where are you going Ash?’
She turned. ‘I’m done with this shit.’
‘No you’re not.’
‘Yes I am Phe. I can’t do with this anymore. You don’t love me I’m just a possession to you. Someone to lash out at when things don’t go your way.’
‘I love you Ash.’
‘Don’t fool yourself.’ She said pulling away.
He grabbed her. ‘Being tough doesn’t suit you.’
‘It doesn’t suit you either. You’ve changed.’
‘I haven’t you just never knew me.’
‘I wish I never did.’
‘You don’t mean that.’
‘Yes I do. I hate you.’
‘No you don’t you love me. You’re too weak to admit any different.’
‘It’s the way you made me. The way you wanted me to be.’
‘I want you, and I’m not leaving without you.’
‘Go to hell!’ she said pulling out of his grip.
He grabbed her pushing her onto the rough grass. ‘You’re mine me and you forever!’
‘NO!’
He pulled out a knife, holding it at eye level. ‘Well in that case if I can’t have you no one can.’
She screamed as the knife came down.
‘I don’t think so.’ Mackenzie said grabbing his wrist pulling him off Ashleigh.
He looked at Mackenzie. ‘I thought you’d gone.’
‘We had, but not far. I knew that you’d make one last slip up.
He looked at Justin. ‘Dad?’
‘Not this time son, you’ve taken it too far.’
‘But.’
‘You can’t do this. Okay I made plenty of mistakes, which I paid for. But you, you will never learn. You can’t hurt someone you love they’ll keep running, and they’ll never come back.’
‘I used to think you were a hero Dad you’ve let me down.’
‘You’ve let yourself down.’
‘Well you’ll never let me down again.’
Phoenix pushed the knife into Mackenzie. Ashleigh screaming as he took it out plunging it into Justin. They both dropped to the ground.
Phoenix grabbed Ashleigh dropping the knife. Pulling her away through the forest.
‘You killed my Dad you killed yours.’
‘Me and you forever.’ He repeated.
Kieran, Kelley, and the crew ran through the woods. Coeb knew full well what Phoenix was capable of. He just hoped that he hadn’t killed Ashleigh. He now realised that things had gone too far.
‘Shit!’
They all came to a halt.
Sandman and Ice lay on the rough rubble. Kelley screamed. Kieran placed his arm round her.
‘Where’s Ashleigh?’
‘Looks lie Phe’s taken her.’
‘I’m calling the cops.’
‘No!’
‘Well an ambulance then we can’t leave them.’
‘They’re probably dead.’
Kieran dialled for an ambulance. ‘Ambulance please at Connery Grove two injured.
The ambulance and the police arrived.
‘They’re still breathing.’
They lifted Ice and Sandman onto stretchers placing them into the ambulance putting the sirens on pulling away.
‘So boys Mam. Which one of you is going to tell me exactly what happened?’
We don’t know. We swear they were like this when we found them.’
‘Is there anymore of you?’
‘There was.’
‘Who?’
‘My sister and her boyfriend.’
‘Names please.’
‘Ashleigh Summers and Phoenix Johnson.’
‘Here we go again.’ He pushed a button on his walkie talkie. ‘Two teenagers on run pos ID Miss Ashleigh Summers and a Phoenix Johnson. We believe they were in the facility of Connery Grove, one may be dangerous, may be armed over.’
‘Copy over.’
‘Do you know these two men?’
‘Yeah Mackenzie is Ashleigh’s Dad and Justin is Phoenix’s Dad.’
‘Does your sister and her boyfriend know they were here?’
‘Yeah they saw them yesterday, we all thought they’d gone.’
‘Do you know why they were still here?’
‘No.’
‘Thanks. Stay here in the facility we may need to ask you further questions.’
‘Sure.’
The police officer got into the car driving away.
‘They won’t find them.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He’ll take her somewhere they won’t think of looking.’
‘We’ve got to find them.’
‘You heard what they said.’
‘She’ll be dead before they find them.’
‘She won’t he loves her.’
‘How can you say that? You saw how he treated her, he’s mental.’
‘They’ll contact us when they think it’s safe to. We better go back to the hut.’
They all walked back to the hut Kieran’s arm sill placed firmly round Kelley. Kieran knew that he’d been defeated; he just hoped Coeb was right and Ashleigh was safe.
‘Where are we going?’
‘You’ll see.’
‘When?’
‘Soon.’
‘Why Phe? Why did you have to go to all of this trouble?’
‘I love you Ash. I’m not going to loose you.’
‘But you killed two innocent people.’
‘Chill Ash they’ll be fine.’
‘They’ll come looking for us.’
'If they do then I will kill them. I promise you.’
‘But.’
‘Stop with the questions Ash we’re together.’ He said placing his hand on her leg.
She sat nervously, as her drove through the darkened streets. Where exactly was he taking her?
Her eyes became heavy, weak, closing, opening again.
‘Tired babe?’
‘A little.’
‘Go to sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there.’
Her eyes finally gave in closing. Phoenix took his hand off her leg and placed it back onto the steering wheel.
He pulled up in front of a cabin. He parked up opening the car door getting out closing and locking the door. He walked round the car opening the other door. He shuck Ash gently. ‘Ash wake up.’
She slowly opened her eyes. ‘What is it what’s wrong Phe?’
‘We’re here.’
Ashleigh pulled her self out of the car, Phoenix closed and locked the door slipping the keys into his pocket, taking her hand. They walked up the stairs, he opened the door leading her in. As he turned she banged up against the door closing it. He placed his hands on her face. ‘Don’t be scared this is our new home now. Be good and no harm will come to you okay.’
‘Okay.’
He placed his lips on hers kissing her hungrily, pulling her over to the sofa where he made love to her.
He pulled away gliding his hand down her face. ‘I love you Ash. No one will ever take that away, not anymore.’
He draped his arm over her closing his eyes.