Chapter Eight

It only gets tougher....

Running through the woods with no sense of direction, but just a destination in a small white sheet, was proving very difficult.

For over five years, I've been caged, not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually too. For the first time in a long while, though scared and hungry, I felt free.

The sky was almost pitch black when I stumbled upon a small hut in the thick forest.

My stomach rumbled once, I had to eat something. Erasing all rational thought, I stumbled towards the hut.

I knocked on the small wooden door. I waited for a while, I heard nothing. The forest was dead quiet. The birds had stopped chirping, the animals had gone silent too.

I felt a chill run down my spine.

I pushed the door and surprisingly, it creaked open. I put my head through the tiny crack to see clearly into the room.

The room was bare of furniture, there was a large mat lying at the center of the room. A large fire place was at the left with a big pot over it, steam escaping furiously.

What ever was cooking smelt nice. My stomach rumbled again.

"Hello.." I called out quietly.

Still no sound.

What sane person leaves in the center of the forest alone?

I asked myself

With a shrug of my shoulders, I opened the door widely and stepped inside.

I barely took two steps when a felt a rough hand clamped hard over my face.

I struggled to free myself from the clutch of the beast, but it was futile. It was stronger. I missed my powers.

Before I drifted off into the darkness, I heard a loud growl.

^^^^^^^

"I've never been to a rodeo" Michael said shaking his head.

"Well genius, neither have we" Bree said rolling her eyes.

"I don't want to go" She added burying her face deep inside her pillow.

I took a deep breath then I spoke up

"Come on guys, it won't be that bad. We've been held up inside this cave for years now. A little fresh air will be nice..."

"We receive fresh air every time we go outside, so what's your point?" Michael asked with a raised brown

"Well genius, you know what I mean" I said rolling my eyes at him.

Ma strolled into the room casually, a tray containing three glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice in her hands.

"Thanks Ma" I said taking the tray away from her waiting hands.

I passed the tray to my brother and then to my sister who took hers and quickly gulped down half of the drink.

"Aaaah....Ma I was so thirsty" she said smiling up at Ma

I shook my head, She can be so dramatic. Sometimes I wonder if she's really the eldest.

"You know, if you really don't want to go to the Rodeo, you can stay home...."

I knew there was a but as soon as she said that.

"....but it would really mean a lot to your Uncle, he is sponsoring the event"

There it was.

"Ma I heard that people die at rodeos" Bree said giving my Ma the "I don't want to die" face.

"Who told you that? I don't think your Uncle will invite us to an event that will kill us" Ma said looking her dead in the eyes.

Bree and I exchanged a brief look.

"Ma, I don't mind going. I need a break from this house" I said mumbling the last part.

"Everyone should be dressed we leave at Three"

Ma said walking out.

"See you girls at three" Michael said, clearly imitating Ma, then he walked away.

I sighed as soon as he left

"What are you planning? Because I know you do not want to go" Bree's eyes narrowed at me.

"Okay, see here is my plan, I'll leave at some point during the show to find the library. I heard it will be closer from there"

"I'm terrified and still disappointed that you refuse to involve our parents, but for what it's worth, I care so much about you and I don't want you to get hurt" Her eyes were getting wet with tears.

"I'll be fine trust me. I just need to find more information about this place and find something to hold onto that will prove that they are Vampires"

"Can I come too?"

"No. Two people leaving at the same time is very risky and can attract unwanted attention"

"True..."

The Rodeo was already in full swing when we arrived. Uncle parked his Truck and we all got down.

I dusted down my long flowery skirt and pushed my sunglasses up my face. The sun was still up and it was scotching, I was grateful for the sleeveless dress I wore.

"There are lots of people here for a small town" Pa said walking slowly toward the arena where people were seated, making loud noises.

"Who ever said we are a small town?" Uncle said laughing out loud

We walked into the arena and sat down.

Five minutes into the steer wrestling, I took an excuse to use the restroom.

I had exactly twenty minutes to find the Library before anyone gets suspicious.

I was walking around looking for someone nice to ask for directions when I heard a squash under my feet. I felt something sticky under my shoes.

I looked down skeptically, I could smell it but I was still in denial until I saw the pile of sheets under my shoes.

I groaned in disgust.

"Are you going to stay in that pile of shit a little longer"

I could here the sarcasm and amusement coming from the voice behind me but I dared not looking back.

I was beyond embarrassed.

"Please go away" I said stepping out of the dung

I heard foot steps moving behind me. I breathed a sigh of relieve grateful whoever it was had left, but I was so wrong.

Looking down at my feet, I saw a pair of boots coming to stand in front me.

"I can't go away when a beautiful girl is clearly in need" He said again

" I'm fine, I don't need help"

I said finally taking a look at him.

He looked older than me, He had dark curly hair, some parts were hidden inside a black hat he wore on his head.

His skin was very pale, almost white. And his eyes were the blackest I've ever seen. As I kept staring at them, they changed to a dark blue. His lips were the reddest I had ever seen...

"Is there any specific reason why you're staring at my lips?"

I looked away immediately

"I asked you to go away"

"And I said I can't...."

"I heard what you said"

I rolled my eyes. I started looking around for water to wash the dung off my boots.

"There's a pump not far from here, come I'll show you"

He said walking away.

I had no choice but to follow closely behind him.

We got to the rusty pump, he helped me turn it on, I put my boots one after the other under the rushing water and watched as the black solid flowed down with the water.

When I was all done, I looked up at him and whispered a thank you.

"You're welcome. So where are you headed?"

"Do you by any chance know where the library is?"

"So you're a nerd"

"So everybody that visits the library is automatically a nerd?"

I shook my head at him and started walking away.

"It's a block away, I'll walk with you"

"No. I want to go alone. Thank you for your help earlier. Now please leave me alone."

I walked away without looking back. I didn't hear footsteps behind me. I was glad he could at least obey simple instructions.

I walked a short distance when I saw the small building with the word LIBRARY painted over the white exterior.

I needed to be fast. I wasted a lot of time with that guy, I didn't even get his name.

I pushed open the door when I came face to face with a dark skinned elderly woman with stringed beads around her neck. Her dreads were packed in a bun behind her neck.

She looked oddly familiar.

She stared at me so intensely.

I mumbled a greeting and walked past her.

As I walked past, I got a waffle of her perfume and just like déjà vu, my mind went back to the party.

The creepy woman.

I felt a chill down my spine.

I looked back immediately and saw those grey eyes still staring back at me.