“Noah,” I whispered. “I love you, too.”
He sucked in his breath but didn’t look back at me. I didn’t need him to. He felt it just as much as I did. He wanted what I wanted, but neither of us was sure if we could ever have it again.
Noah
“HOW LONG DO you think we should stay here for?” Scarlett asked, peering out of the window for the hundredth time.
“Come away,” I said, tugging on her hand. “We don’t want to be seen.”
“I’m scared.”
“I am, too,” I replied. “We have to keep our heads down until light. If we keep going now we’ll only get lost in the forest.”
“But isn’t it more dangerous to stay? They’ll expect us to be staying somewhere.”
“We don’t have many options, Scarlett. You agreed this was our best chance. Why don’t you try to get some sleep?”
She shook her head. “There’s no way I can sleep.”
“We are leaving at first light and we’ll probably have a whole day of running and hiding. You’re going to need all the strength you can get.”
“What about you?”
“No.”
I could see in her eyes that she didn’t completely trust me. She wanted to, but she couldn’t. I was determined to get her to safety and earn that trust back.
“So…you don’t think I’m the key to eternal life now?”
I started to pace again. “No. I think you’re the key to my happiness. As long as you’re okay, I’m okay. There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t fight against to make sure you’re still breathing.”
“Do you think we’re going to make it out of this?”
“Yes, I do.” They’d be looking, and they wouldn’t stop until they found her, but there was no way I was letting anything happen to her. She was getting out of here no matter the cost. “I need you to think positively.” I ran my hands through my hair. I was starting to sound like my dad. “We’re going to be fine, Scarlett. I need you to trust me.”
“I’m trying to. It’s hard.”
I left my post and knelt down in front of her, pulling her arms from her legs. “I won’t betray you again. I love you, Scarlett.”
Her eyes filled with tears; she opened her mouth to reply, but a thud on the front door had me covering her mouth with my hand. She looked as terrified as I felt. “Shh,” I whispered. “Get off the bed and follow me.”
Her hand trembled in mine as I led her to the door. The knock, this time harder, echoed through the tiny cottage. They’re here.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Seamus said, heading to the door in his slippers and a threadbare dressing gown. My heart was pounding. They’ve found us, and I need to get her out of here right now.
I picked up the bag and yanked Scarlett’s arm. “Put this on,” I said, putting the straps over her arms. “Remember we run straight and don’t stop. In the morning, we’ll see where we are, listen out for sounds that we’re near town.”
We made it into the kitchen when Seamus’s guttural scream stopped me in my tracks. Scarlett froze. What was going on? I turned around with a heart racing. “Noah! Noah!” my dad shouted.
“What’s going on? Who’re you?” Bridget asked. “Seamus,” she screamed next. “No, Seamus. What did you do? What did you do?”
Oh no. What’d they done to him?
“Go now, Scarlett!” I shoved her towards the door. They were already coming. Their footsteps thudded in between Bridget’s wailing. It was so much worse than I could have imagined. I expected a fight, but I never dreamt they’d hurt someone else. I couldn’t hear Seamus, but I knew they’d done something really bad to him.
That wasn’t supposed to happen.
Scarlett grabbed my arm when I opened the door.
“Go now!” I said, pushing her.
“No, what’re you doing?”
“There’s not enough time. I’ll hold them off. Run, Scarlett. Let me do this one thing right. I love you. Run.” I kissed her hard and shoved her out of the door.
Her eyes were wild. I closed the door and turned around, my hands trembling. They were searching the rooms. I heard doors being opened and lights being switched on. There weren’t too many rooms, so it wasn’t long before the kitchen door was slammed back to the wall.
Dad and Donald stood before me.
I straightened my back, having no clue what was about to happen or what to do other than stall them, so Scarlett had as much time to get away as possible. She’s out. She’s okay.
“Where is she?” Dad asked.
“Gone,” I replied.
My dad had never looked disappointed or angry because of me before. But then I had never done anything to disagree or disobey him before. Sacrificing – murdering – Scarlett would have been a mistake, one that we could never right.