Escape from Harrizel Read Free Page A

long legs not moving fast
enough. I don’t look back. There’s only ahead. Only the camouflage
that’ll keep me hidden. I’m halfway there when his voice sounds
next to me.
    “The sooner you understand I’m here to help you, the sooner I can take you home.”
    He must be running next to me, but I don’t
stop.
    Keep going. Just keep going…
    “Fallon…” he tries once more, his hand
outstretched as he glides along next to me easily.
    Almost to the trees…
    But suddenly, he’s there, in front of me by
a yard, cutting off the tree line as an available exit. I dig my
heels into the grass with a sudden halt. Which way? Which way? I’m
ready to collapse but the fear of death keeps me moving. Spinning,
I race in the opposite direction, back toward the house.
    I don’t get far.
    Three sprinting strides and the ground’s
been slapped out from me. It slams into my back and head again,
jolting my body with a sting before everything tightens to a
paralyzing state.
    “Boy, you can move,” he sails in front of
me, landing on his feet with catlike ease. “I expected it but…” and
he exhales to himself, surprised.
    I try to run but my ankles are bound,
magnetized by invisible restraints. I sit up too quickly and
without help from my arms, my stomach roars with instant regret. My
hands are stuck, glued to the small of my back, bound by tangible
space, like handcuffs made of air. Clarence approaches, standing
over me, his body cut out from the grim, gray sky behind him.
    “Now wasn’t that fun?”
    I search, my eyes darting fiercely, trying
to find some way out of this. What are my other options? What else
can I do? Is there someone nearby? I’m as good as dead anyway but
I’ve got to try.
    “Fallon…”
    I let it out. The one good scream I’ve got
in me. It’s a blood-curdling cry that rips all the air from my
lungs, alarming someone—anyone—that I’m here. That I’m about to be
gone if they don’t come and help. I know it’s a long shot but what
else can I do? Screaming is the best reaction to this. And also,
the only reaction to him. How is he on the house one second and
running side by side with me the next? Who is he? And better yet… what is he?
    “There’s no point in screaming…” he laughs,
indicating the obvious openness, “no one can hear you.”
    I’m tempted to do it again, to let out all
fear pumping through me, but his light heartedness distracts me,
boiling my insides with contempt. I’ll be another dead body in a
few seconds and he seems utterly amused by it. I’m not giving him
any more pleasure.
    “Do it!”
    “Do what?” his nonplussed expression takes
me off guard. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you,” and
now his voice strengthens. “I’m not here to hurt you.”
    I roll my head back to the upside down
trees, searching, seeking. But there’s nothing, nothing that can
help me. If he hasn’t killed me by now, there’s got to be a chance.
Maybe I can talk him into letting me go. He enjoys conversing.
Maybe I can trick him into freeing me.
    “What do you want?” I look to him, trying to
keep the anger from my tone.
    “Are we to have the same conversation?”
    “Tell me the truth .”
    “I’ve already tried,” he tilts his head
condescendingly, just enough to make a point. “You won’t
listen.”
    “Explain it again.”
    “Which part?”
    “What you are!” I shout, casting a stare out
to the trees. It still seems like a dream. How did he get there so
fast? And then back again?
    “I don’t think we went over that…” he
brushes a finger to his chin, considering. “Although you rushed out
so quickly…”
    “Clarence,” I speak through gritted teeth,
unsure whether its anger or fear fueling the tone, “tell me again .”
    “What do you want to know?”
    “Everything!”
    He’s kneeling on the ground in an instant,
his azure eyes shifting between mine. His mouth curves into a
smirk. “You’ll figure it out… when you understand what