Chapter 28 Dead to Me by. Tribal Blood #2
“I tried to figure that one out for a while,” he began.
“I thought for a while it was my fault. That I wasn’t good enough for them, and honestly in their mind I wasn’t.
I was never as well-behaved as either of those two.
I rebelled, I fought back. So did you. I think that’s why. We were the rebels.”
Wanting to break the tension, I joked, “I thought maybe it was the blonde hair.”
This made him laugh hard. He really had the best laugh. God, I missed him.
Missing for Three Days
“Did you like men?”
I watched as Nate sputtered on his cup of water. I couldn’t remember where he had gotten it. Hmm, I had one too. Weird.
“Where did that come from?”
I shrugged. “Just trying to pass the time. Plus you never dated any women so I thought… maybe?”
“I’m sorry I was busy raising two teenagers and didn’t have time to date,” he muttered in response.
“That wasn’t an answer,” I sing-songed in response while kicking my legs under the table. I was too short for the two chairs.
He sighed. “I never really cared either way. Gender wasn’t an issue, it was the person for me.”
I smiled at my brother. “I know. I overheard you one night talking to Kai when we were little.”
He inclined his head, urging me to continue.
“You were maybe ten I think. You asked him why everyone asked if you liked any girls in your class because you had the biggest crush on your best friend James,” I responded, reminiscing on the memories.
He smiled. “Oh god, I forgot about that,” he chuckled. “Remember what Kai said?” I shook my head. “He said, and I quote, ‘You can’t like James because if you got married he would be James James and that’s a stupid name.’”
I barked out a laugh. “That’s such a Kai answer.”
“How is he doing?” Nate asked.
“Kai?” I clarified. Nate nodded. “He seems… okay? I don’t really know. None of us have really been the same since you passed. It’s hard to be happy with you gone.”
He looked down almost shamefully. “He blames himself too, you know? For the accident.”
“Why?” I asked confused.
“That night, he called. Something happened at home and was nervous for you and Theo. Usually I would have just let you come home later, no worries. He wanted me to go get you to make sure you were okay. That’s why I was out driving.”
I paused for a moment in shock. “I didn’t know that.” But I must have for this Nate to know and tell. This was just a dream. I must have heard it before.
“Don’t think too hard about it, Jack. Trust me. It’s easier that way.”
I began to respond when we were interrupted with the door opening behind us. We both stood quickly. “Can we leave?” I asked Nate.
“If you want.”
I slowly began to leave. Maybe if I followed the path that brought me here in previous dreams, I could find a way to wake myself up. It didn’t make a lot of sense, but I was standing next to my dead brother, so I chose to follow Nate’s advice and not think too hard about it.
Speaking of, I turned to tell him my plan when I saw that I was alone. Hopefully I would dream of him again. I slowly made my way out and across the field. It was early morning. The ground was covered in dew. It looked like it would be a beautiful day.
As I approached the woods, I turned to look at the cabin one more time. I had no idea what Griffin was doing to me, but I was grateful for the time with Nate. Even if it wasn’t real.
Missing for Twelve Hours
“Jack!” I looked up from my seat on the ground a few feet in front of the door to see Nate standing in the open doorway. “Get in here.”
I stood and ran, colliding with him. “Nate! You need to help me,” I began, finally crying. “Griffin, h-he broke into my house. I think he drugged me. I-I don’t know what to do.”
Nate held me for a moment while I sobbed in his arms. “I know, Jack. I’m so sorry. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
I nodded, still hugging him as tight as possible. “I’m scared.”
“So am I.”
I looked up at my brother. He was my favorite person. Oliver was my best friend, Will was the love of my life, Theo was my confidant, Fai was my supporter, but Nate was my favorite person. I wished so badly that it was him I was hugging.
“You’re not real,” I whispered.
“That’s rude,” he responded with a smirk. “I think I’m very real. But to each their own.”
I laughed at him. “You’re just a part of my brain, helping me make sense of everything. It’s probably the drugs.”
“Probably,” he agreed. “Can we go inside now?”
I nodded and followed him into the cabin. It was oddly familiar, but I hadn’t been in here before. There was a couch in one corner facing a fireplace and a small table and chairs in the other.
Wait… that’s not right?
“Don’t think too hard about it,” he responded.
I jerked at the sound of the door closing. I went to it, trying to open it again, only to be met with a locked door.
“What in the?” I whispered. I did this before. But when?
I turned to see Nate sitting down. “You can try. It won’t open until it’s time.”
Missing for Five Days
The ground beneath me was cold and damp. I slowly opened my eyes. I was on the ground. Why was I on the ground? I looked around, trying to get a sense of my surroundings. I was in the clearing from my dreams. It was all the same. The cabin, the woods, the light coming from the cabin.
“Jack!”
I whipped around to find where the voice had come from. I saw a figure running at me, at full speed. Who was that? I squinted trying to get a better look. Was that Nate?
As he got closer I confirmed that it was him.
“Jack! You need to run! Now!” he yelled. I looked behind him to see another figure chasing him.
I listened to his commands and took off through the clearing towards the woods.
I stopped to take a breath. I had been running as fast as possible for so long I lost track of how far I had gone. I couldn’t stop for long. I couldn’t let him catch up, or maybe I had to catch up to him?
I-I couldn’t remember.
Why couldn’t I remember? I looked around trying to get my bearings. I was in a forest and couldn’t see past the trees. They were everywhere and towered so high I couldn’t see where they ended. They completely obscured the sky but the moonlight filtered through the branches.
Fuck, I couldn’t stop. I needed to keep running.
I took off through the trees. I needed to run as fast as I could.
My thighs burned from the exertion but I kept pushing myself.
I could hear footsteps. Were they in front or behind me?
Was I chasing someone or was someone chasing me?
Why couldn’t I remember? My feet ached, why did they hurt so badly?
I looked down to see I had no shoes on. Why did I leave without my shoes?
“Jack!” I whipped around towards the source of the voice. It was Nate. Why did I forget he was here with me?
He was quickly by my side and took me by my shoulders. “You need to run. Don’t stop.”
“Why?” I asked, confused.
He paused for a moment before muttering a quiet, “Fuck.” He looked behind him for a moment before turning back to me. “I know none of this makes sense. I know you don't know where you are, or what’s happening. I just need you to do one thing. Okay?”
I nodded in confirmation.
“I need you to keep running. Do. Not. Stop. Okay? Keep running. You’ll know when it’s safe.”
“What about you?” I asked, confused why he was only referring to me.
Didn’t he need to be safe too?
“It’s not my time yet. It’s yours, okay? I know, none of it makes sense, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” he asked.
“I trust you. I can do that.”
He pulled me into a tight hug, one I reciprocated without hesitation.
After a moment he pulled back, still not letting go.
“It’s going to be okay. Will will be there.
He’ll keep you safe now.” He looked behind himself again before turning back one last time.
“I’ll see you soon. I love you, Jack. Keep running. ”
“I love you too, Nate,” I responded and looked at him for a moment before finally turning and running as fast as I could.
I could hear steps behind me as I continued my sprint through the unknown territory. God, I wish I had worn shoes, my feet were killing me. I wasn’t sure if it was Nate who was behind me or whoever was chasing him. I didn’t stop to check, I just kept running.
The sun was low in the sky, my lungs burned from the exertion, but I didn't stop. I pushed. I ran. I listened to Nate and I didn’t stop. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks. I was so scared. What was happening?
I wanted to stop but I couldn’t, I kept going.
After what felt like an eternity, I stumbled through a bush before landing hard on my knees. I was trembling. I couldn’t remember how I had gotten here.
I looked up to see houses near me. I was in the middle of the street. I stood trying to orient myself. I was in Eugene. I knew where I was. I racked my brain trying to remember what had happened but my last memory was Griffin drugging me.
Wait?
Was it?
“Ma'am, are you okay?” I turned towards the voice. There was an older man, maybe sixty, standing on the sidewalk. I started to answer, but couldn’t stop myself from breaking down.
I dropped back to my knees and just sobbed. I heard someone say to call 911. I heard the sirens, and I felt the hands of the officers try to pick me up. “It’s okay, Ophelia. You’re home now. You’re safe.”
Was I?
Will
Scarlett came running into the office with her partner hot on her heels. “I got a call from some of our officers.” She paused for a moment, looking at all of us at the conference table. “They found her, she’s alive.”
And for the first time in five days, I could breathe.