Chapter 22

Anna jumped on Amaris the moment that she sat down in the car, and hugged her tight. Anna backed up still holding Amaris’ shoulders, “Where have you been? Everyone has been looking for you. They had sent search parties out into the woods looking for you. They found one man dead in the river below the bridge. I am going to assume it was you that cut it?”

Amaris nodded her head. The memory of that moment too painful and fresh.  The memory of the second man further up the river that she found confirming that she had indeed killed two men.

“All the other people from your gym class came running back in to the school screaming and crying and trying to find a place to hide. Once they got them calmed down and the security guard went to look out on the field the only one left alive was Mr. Clark. He had dragged himself over to try and stop Heather’s bleeding but there was nothing he could do it was too late.” Anna hung her head and wiped her cheek.   She hugged Amaris fiercely again and then held her away at arms length.  “Amaris did they hurt you too?”

Speaking for the first time though her throat was tight from grief, “No they didn’t hurt me. I was able to run into the woods and use the short cut to get ahead of them and get across the bridge first. I cut the ropes to the bridge and it dropped. “. Amaris stopped and looked away from Anna with tears streaming down her face now “I killed those two men Anna. They died when they fell because I cut that rope.” Amaris’ whole body sagged as she broke down. Anna leaned over and gave her a big hug.

“Its going to be okay. If you had not cut that rope and gotten away you might be dead now too. Oh honey, don’t you blame yourself for this for one minute.” Anna rubbed Amaris’ back and held her.

“They have Gran!  Anna, they caught Gran. She gave herself up to save Lyle and me.” Anna gave her a quizzical look.

“Mr. Bruce. Gran gave herself up to save Mr. Bruce and I.”

“Amaris, I don’t understand why were you with Mr. Bruce? Who took Gran? Why did she have to give herself up? What is going on?” Anna sat back against the door and really looked at Amaris. She was dirty, scratched and bloodied in places. One side of her was caked in what looked to be river mud. All the clothes that she was wearing did not look familiar. Anna had never seen Amaris wear a Mountain University sweatshirt before.

“Mari, you look like hell. Let’s start from just after the bridge. Where did you go then?” Anna asked trying to get some answers out of her shell shocked friend.

“I ran. I just kept running through the woods until I came to the road. When I reached the edge Lyle, Mr. Bruce, was there with his car. He told me to get in. He took me to Gran’s. Only, when we got there the house had been broken into like yours.” Amaris pointed to Anna’s house. “Everything was destroyed and Grover was dead. Lyle said he had been hit over the head.” Amaris pulled her legs up on the seat and wrapped her arms around her knees hugging herself. “He thought he must have surprised the intruder.” Tears began to run down her face as she lifted her chin off her knees. “He called the police and Sheriff Clifton showed up. Lyle told him what happened and said that I needed to go somewhere safe and that he was taking me to his place and that the Sheriff could contact me there to ask me his questions. We went to Lyle’s place. It is a cabin in the mountains. Gran was there waiting for us. I tried questioning her to find out what was going on. They started telling me a story that was so fantastic that I couldn’t believe it. Before I could get any of my questions answered we heard a whole lot of howling off in the distance and Lyle said that they had found us. I’m guessing I should bring his neighbor’s dogs a steak or something because they warned us.” At that Anna cracked a smile and ducked her head covering her mouth as she tried to stifle what Amaris thought was an inappropriate giggle. Amaris continued “So from what Gran and Lyle were telling me I was beginning to think that they were in a cult or something. When Lyle heard those dogs howling do you know how we got out?” Amaris released her legs and sat straight up and grabbed Anna’s hands in hers, getting Anna to look her in the face again.

“ A tunnel. He has a series of under ground tunnels up there running under the whole town. They even have secret ones behind book cases and stuff. The place is crazy. Anyway, the guys who were chasing me found us and chased us through the tunnels and into a parking garage mechanical room where they have an old fallout shelter that they use as a safe bunker. As we were trying to get into the place Gran suddenly locks Lyle and I in there and says that she is giving her self up so that they did not suspect that I was in there. Lyle and I stayed over night in the bunker and in the morning his brother Adam comes and gets us and tells us that the men who have been hunting me attacked the town trying to find me. There were lots of people killed or injured and they burned most of the village. When we ran out of the garage, the whole village was on fire. It was awful!”  Amaris lost the enthusiasm that she had gained and bowed her head.  Tears began running down her face once more.   “I followed Lyle out of the village and he took me to another tunnel.  It lead to this place that belongs to his family out in the middle of no where to hide out. Lyle left me there to go hunting so we would have something to eat. I was falling asleep in front of the fire when his brother shows up. He tells me that this whole thing is because “everyone on the mountain”.” Using hand quotes to denote everyone on the mountain. “Thinks that I am the person that some story or legend, that they believe in, refers to and that is why these guys are chasing me and killing everyone who gets in their way. Oh and he said something that sounded like Lyle is in love with me that is why he is my body guard.” Amaris looked like she did not know whether to laugh or to cry. Anna was staring at her with her mouth hanging open.

Just as Anna had finally collected herself to say something her parents returned to the car. “Well it looks like we are taking a trip to the police station and then we are going out for dinner as the visitors that we had destroyed all of our food. We will stop at the grocery store on the way home. Everything else was minor. The important thing is that we are all safe. That includes our sweet Mari!” Said Anna’s Dad looking at Amaris in the rearview mirror.