Stroke Of Fear (24 page)

   My body is heaving from leaving Tanner behind. But I know Michael is coming after me. He doesn’t have time to deal with Tanner. I take the stairs two at a time, sliding against the wooden floors and fumbling with the door. I hear his hard footsteps behind me. They’re getting closer. It’s completely dark when I get outside. The moonbeams send enough light to bar
ely see the trail.
Jesus, please let me make it. Please.
The trail will take me to the road, and I can cut across toward the camp.

  “Stop running, Aubrey. I’m going to catch you either way.”

   He’s so close. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The hatchet in my hand feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. My legs are burning, my throat on fire. I have to make it. I have to get out of here.

  
The road is vacant, not a car in sight. My heart sinks, but I stagger across the two-lanes and into the woods on the opposite site. This should take me to the camp. I don’t hear Michael’s footsteps anymore, and I don’t hear him yelling. Falling onto all fours, I scramble up and look behind me. He’s not there. Did he leave? Did he fall? I turn circles looking for him. Bats fly above me. The trees wave in the wind. Leaves fall around me. He’s gone.

   All I can hear is the wind and my breathing. It’s heavy in the darkness. I relax my shoulders and bring my hands to my face. Then a limb snaps. Then two. Then all I can hear is someone’s footsteps heavy in leaves. I turn, swinging my
hatchet, and I catch the side of his arms.

   He howls out a cry and grabs his arm. It’s bar
ely a scratch, but blood is dripping down to his fingertips. “Bitch. You’re gonna fucking pay for that.”

  
A loud thump hits the back of my head, and I watch as the sky swirls and my vision blackens. He’s going to kill me.

***

   That feeling is back. My senses are heightened, and I can almost taste the water. The hurried sound of it hitting the cliff wakes me. It’s still dark. Holes are all throughout my clothes, giving the wind easy access to my skin. A deep headache burns the back of my head and it’s sticky. My fingers tangle in my hair and—what I can assume is blood—is caked in it.
God, no. He’s here
. I can sense his gaze on me.

   “You’re awake. Finally.”

   No. I groan, rolling onto my side to sit up. The cliff is right beside me. If I put my arm out anymore I’d roll off into the abyss. I know what he’s going to do to me now. The same as last time. Drown me.

   “Beautiful isn’t it?” he chuckles. The tip of his shoe is touching my back. One good kick and I’ll be falling to my death.
Fingers slide down my hair all the way to my back. “I remember when you would practice for hours. Just like me.” There is a smile in his voice. I pray there is at least one ounce of compassion left in this man I used to love. Rolling onto my back, I stare up at him. He bends to his knees and cups my face.

   Holding back the bile rising in my throat, I look up at him. “I remember.”

   He smiles. It’s so familiar. Then it fades and a look that would strike fear in anyone forms. “Then you left. You left me all alone. I lost my scholarship.” He bends to my ear and begins yelling. “I lost everything!”

I close my eyes and pretend I’m in Tanner’s arms
, in his bed.

   “Are you listening to me? You abandoned me. You took away the water from me. You took it away!” As crazy as he is, I understand. I know how it feels
to have the one thing you love taken away from you.

   It’s the worst thing that’ll happen t
o anyone. The loss you feel. The emptiness that consumes your every move. “I’m so sorry, Michael. My parents—” He slams his foot down on the side of my face. Darkness swarms my vision. I can barely make out his figure above me.

   There is no hope for the monster standing over me. No love is left in his heart. I’m as good as dead.
He bends down to pick me up, and I feel light. My body is so tired I can’t move. My head throbbing and more blood seeps down my back.

   “Aubrey,” he whispers in my ear. “I love you.” A helpless cry shakes through me, my body quaking in fear. It’s coming. I know. I try to lift my head
, but it slumps back against his chest. His lips part and he takes my mouth in his. I don’t kiss him back. I sit there unable to move or get away. Unable to fight for my fucking life.

   He moves his lips over mine. They’re rough and hard against my own. Blood mixes with his mouth
, and I feel it drain down my throat. He’s mumbling in my ear that he loves me over and over when I feel us move backwards. He’s stopping. He’s going to spare me.

  
“Drop her now.”

   Tanner. Every single cell in my body flames
, and I try to crane my neck to look at him. Michael turns with me still in his hands. “You think you’re going to save her, Tanner?”

   Tanner’s eyes avert to my own. His shirt is torn, blood is stained down the front of his unbuttoned shirt. The
hatchet I had earlier is in his hands. “I know I am, Michael.”

   Michael snarls and drops me to the ground. Rocks dig into my skin
, but I scoot away from him. Tanner’s dark hair has fallen in front of his eyes. Sweat pours from his forehead. I can’t imagine how fast he ran to get here.

   Michael shakes his head back and forth. “She’s mine.”

   “You’re goin’ to kill what’s yours? What sense does that make. Why kill her?”

   “Because she took everything from me!” he shouts, ripping at his hair. “She took it all!”
   Tanner nods. His Adam’s apple moves when he swallows. “You’re right. She did. But it was your own fault.”

   Michael sneers and runs at Tanner. Tanner swings the
hatchet but Michael jumps back just in time. They maneuver around each other, swinging and kicking. I can’t hear anything but the erratic beat of my heart and the water below. “The cops are on their way, Michael. It’s only a matter of time before they catch you again.”

   He barks out a laugh and snatches his hat off his head. His dark hair is way longer than before. A slight blanket of hair covers his cheeks. “I got away once
, and I’m sure I can do it again. They’re so fucking stupid. I had one of the janitors sneak someone in to replace me. He did a great job, too. I’m sure they’re still scratching their heads.”

  
That’s how he did it. It’s been him the entire summer, watching me like a tiger on his prey. I basically signed my own death certificate when I took this job.

   Tanner eyes me and then the cliff. At first I think someone is behind me then I realize what he wants me to do. Jump.
No. No. No
. I shake my head a cry slipping from my lips. “Shut the fuck up!” Michael screams at me.

   Tanner takes a swing at him and it cuts
Michael’s chest. “Don’t fuckin’ talk to her like that. I’ll kill your ass.”

   Tanner gives me another look. “You can do it,” he says, lowly.
   Michael is trying to cover up the blood that’s seeping from his chest. He’s moaning and groaning. The blood soaking his shirt completely. I look at the guy that’s haunted my dreams for years. The man who tried to take my life… twice. I’m not going to be the victim anymore. I’m going to live.

   Standing up on wobbly legs, I steady myself. “Don’t move,” Michael yells, stretching his bloody hand toward me. “I’m not finished with you yet.” The look in his eyes is pleading. He takes a swing at Tanner but misses. He’s losing a lot of blood. He’s dying.

    With one last ounce of might, Michael turns toward me and runs. The determination in his eyes is frightening. He’s been waiting to kill me again. Tanner’s chasing Michael my way, trying to stop him. Everything is in slow motion. The moon beams down, lighting up the water, giving me the urge to jump.

   Michael reaches forward, almost touching me. Turning, I lift my arms above my head and dive straight into the black abyss. His voice echoes against the cliff’s walls. It’s the only thing I hear as I fall forward. The water slices around me, and the stillness is back. The memorizing feeling of the water consumes me. I’m diving deeper and
relishing in the coolness. Breaking from the water, I gasp for breath. The rapids against the small lake is hard and doing a great job of pushing me downstream.

   I smile into the night. Tanner’s voice is loud and clear.
“He’s gone. You’re safe, darlin’. You’re safe.” It’s all I need to hear. Bracing myself, I take that stroke of fear.

***

   I’m warm. Such a difference from the cool summer water. Such a difference from running through the trees and begging for your life.

   Blinking, I glance up at the white walls. The florescent lighting shin
es down on me. A steady drip sounds in my ear. I’m in a bed…not my cabin bed or my bed at home. “She’s awake,” I hear.

   Why does that voice sound so familiar? Whose is it?

“Darlin’. Are you okay?”

   Pushing past the pain, I open my eyes all the way. A bandage wraps around his forehead, and his arm is in a cast. “Tanner?” I ask.

   He smiles and then he gets shoved out of the way. “Are you okay? I called your parents they should be here tonight. Can you see me?” Cassie snaps her fingers in front of my face a few times.

   “Get out of the way,” I hear then
Cassie is being picked up and moved. “Hey,” Eric says, leaning on the rail of the bed. “You okay? You look like…
ouch
. Stop it, Cassie.”
   “You’re going to upset her. Don’t tell her that you asshat.”

   A giggle rises from my throat. “Tanner.”
   Tanner comes back up to me and smiles down. His rough fingers rub against my face, stroking my cheek. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful before in my life. The blue specks in his gray eyes are bright today. “He’s dead?” I ask.

  A frown tugs on his lips. “Yes. I killed him.”

  
Dead. Michael’s dead?
I knew he’d die one day. But I didn’t think by my own boyfriend’s hand. “Don’t cry, baby.” Tanner cups my cheek and plants kisses all over my face. “It’s okay. You’re safe. Perfectly safe.”

   “Can I talk to her?” I hear and then some more mumbles. I’m still too tired to lift my head
, but when I feel a hand on my arm I know who is standing in front of me.

   “Jake,” I say, my voice pained.

   “It’s me. Are you okay?”

   I nod and open my eyes wider. He’s looking down at me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks. “I would have understood.”

   “I know you would have. I’m sorry. I just… everything fell into place when I got here. I think I’m where I need to be.”

   Jake smiles and pushes his dark blond hair from his face. “I think so, too. I hope you know I love you, Aubrey. I
’ll probably always love you.”

   I do know that. I know I love him, too. But the perfect man for me wears work boots and has a sexy southern drawl. I was always meant for him. We fit together like a puzzle piece. He was my missing piece. All I had to do was wait. Jake,
Cassie and Eric all say their goodbyes. Mrs. Jones is having a panic attack with all the kids.

   I cling to my blankets and stare up at the ceiling. “You there?” I ask into the silence.

   “I’m here, darlin’.” Tanner steps into my vision and sits on the edge of the bed. Light brushes of his fingertips send warmth over me.

   “I swam today.”

   The huge smile on his face shows me he’s proud. “You did. Brilliantly. When the paramedics came to get you, they said they had to pry you out of the water. You wanted to float in the shallow end.”

   I laugh and it burns my throat. “Does Michael’s mom know he’s dead?”

   “Yes. The police called them.”

  
I sniffle. “He’s dead because of me.”

    “No, he’s dead because of himself. Don’t blame yourself. He was going to kill you, Aubrey. Twice. You were meant to live. You escaped it twice.”

   Nodding, I wipe at my eyes until they’re burning from the friction. “Tanner?”

   “Hmmm?”

   “I’m glad I met you.”

   He brushes a stray tear from my face. “You’re right where you’re supposed to be, darlin’.”

Epilogue

Aubrey

   “Put away those stupid signs, Cassie.”

Cassie
pushes the tack into the way anyway, before turning to face me.

   “No. I’m excited we’re home. I’ll hang them there until I’m ready to take them down.” She sticks her tongue out at me and glances back up at her sign.