Chapter 9: Into the Night

Alanis ran. Her father was fast on her heels. She cried out in pain as she fell to the ground. The woods were dark. Could her father see her? Alanis wouldn't risk it.
'The cave is dark he won't see me' Alanis could hear the crunch of leaves outside. She closed her eyes tight. "COME HERE YOU LITTLE…" her father reached out to grab Alanis's shirt collar. Alanis blacked out.
"Alanis…wake up baby, wake up" Laurie said shaking her daughter. Alanis's eyes opened slightly. "Momma?" she whispered. "Yeah baby it's me" Laurie said hugging her daughter tightly against her. "You're never going to see that awful man again baby. Never again" Laurie said with a touch of rage in her voice.
"We're going home Momma?"
"Yeah honey"
"Yea!"


"She left, I can't believe that she left" Zac said staring into space. He wasn't even told she was leaving. Zac pulled Alanis's note out of his pocket and began to read it again.

Dear Zac,

I'm so sorry but I have to go. Momma came yesterday. She's taking me back home, to everyone I used to know. I'll live in Ohio, Zac. It's too far to see you now. I used to be able to look across the room and see you. But that was different after Daddy found me and took me away. You don't want to see me to say goodbye.
Momma says I have to go soon. We're getting in her van right now. It's big and shiny and it's red. Look for me.
I'm so sorry. But I know sorry will never cut it.

Forever,
Alanis Morris

Zac's eyes began to tear up. He couldn't help it.

He had the dream again that night.

Then he saw a girl. A girl with blue eyes and black hair was kneeling before a gravestone. When he saw her he wanted to leap from his wheel chair and tackle her to the ground. Rage burned his blood like an unquenchable fire.  For some reason he was mad at that girl.

This time Zac knew who it was.
'Alanis' he thought bitterly. "I wish Taylor wouldn't have followed her. He didn't have to. I don't even know why he did. I don't know what happened. He disappeared. And I hate her for it" Zac's father said. Zac didn't understand his father.

He awoke with a start. He knew something would happen. Zac glanced over at Taylor's bed. It was bare. Zac figured it was nothing until he saw Alanis's letter on the bed and the curtains blowing in the wind.