He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the warehouse, his grip tight and steady.
We ran.
The night was almost pitch black, the thick woods surrounding us making it hard to see where we were going. My mind raced. How did he find me? And why was he even here? He didn’t come on the trip with us. He’d stayed behind. So how…?
A dark thought crept into my mind, and my heart clenched. What if Theon was the killer? What if he had planned all this? Could I trust him? He’d given me no reason to. How did he find me when we’d left him at South Highland?
Before I could give the thought more attention, a voice shattered the air, sending cold terror down my spine.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
The sound of footsteps thundered behind us. The real kidnapper was coming after us.
“Shit,” Theon muttered and ran faster, his grip on my wrist never flexing. He was constantly looking over his shoulder as if to check up on me, and I bit back the questions I had. Escaping was the priority. And he wouldn’t appreciate me asking questions right now either.
We must be on the hill—one of the places our year had toured earlier—because I could hear the unmistakable rush of water below, a distant roar that only made the air feel heavier. My lungs burned, my legs screamed for rest, and my heart thudded painfully against my ribcage, but I couldn’t stop. The weight of fear pressed down on me as we ran, sweat rolling down my face. I tried to focus, but the world around me was closing in.
Then, all of the sudden, I felt a force tugging at me. My foot slipped from under me, and I was pulled down without warning. The next thing I knew, I was falling, tumbling. Theon had tripped, and now he was rolling down the hill, taking me with him.
My breath hitched as he let go of my hand just before we reached the edge of the steep drop. My hands flew to my mouth, muffling the scream that nearly escaped as he flew over the end of the hill. My heart pounded in my throat as I skidded to a stop. Slowly and carefully, I crawled towards the edge and peered down, dread knotting in my stomach.
Theon was hanging on by a jagged rock, his fingers desperately gripping it. He looked up at me, and I saw the strain in his arms, the determination in his eyes, and the strength he was pouring as he grunted. He was too far down for me to reach without help.
I wanted to scream, to call for help, but my voice failed me. I couldn’t make a sound, too terrified of alerting the kidnapper. And what could I even say? My throat was dry, words trapped inside me. Every second felt agonising, my pulse deafening in my ears as I stared at him, praying he wouldn’t fall. But I had to run. I had to distract the kidnapper. If I stayed, we were both doomed.
Without a word, I scrambled to my feet, heart in my throat, and took off running, tears blurring my vision as I prayed with every step.Please, don’t fall. Please, don’t fall.The kidnapper was chasing after me, not Theon. He didn’t even seem to notice Theon clinging to the cliff. I had to keep him away, give Theon a chance.
I ran until my legs were on fire. Then suddenly, my foot caught on something—a log or maybe a branch—and I fell flat, the wind knocked out of me. A huff of pain escaped my lips, butI quickly pushed myself up. I spotted something metallic beside me. An iron rod.
Shaking, I picked it up, heart racing as I stumbled to hide behind a nearby tree, knowing he was too close for me to run. My breath came in shallow bursts as I waited, straining my ears for the kidnapper’s footsteps. My heart pounded so loudly I feared he would hear it, but I tuned everything out and focused.
The footsteps grew closer. I held my breath, gripping the iron rod tightly, the weight of it making my arms tremble. And then, he was right in front of me.
Without thinking, I lunged from behind the tree and swung the iron rod with all the strength I had left. It connected with his head, the sickening thud echoing through the woods. He staggered, and I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. I hit him again, screaming. And again. Until he was on the ground, unmoving. Until the threat was gone.
Panting, I dropped the rod, my body shaking uncontrollably. But I couldn’t stop to think about what I had just done. Theon. I needed to get back to him.
Grabbing the iron rod, I sprinted back towards the edge, praying the rod would be enough to help him climb up. My heart raced faster with each step, the weight of my fear growing heavier. I reached the cliff and peered down.
But he wasn’t there.
Oh, no. Oh, no.Oh, no.
The world tilted. My heart plummeted into a dark, empty void as I stared at the spot where he had been hanging just moments ago. I dropped the rod, my knees buckling as I collapsed, hands trembling violently. He was gone. I was too late.
Because of me.
The truth crushed me, a scream ripping from my chest as my world shattered. I clutched the edge, not scared of falling.
“Theon!!!”
Theon had fallen. He had fallen because of me. My fault. All of it. Tears streamed down my face, my body shaking with the sobs I had been holding back.
For several long moments, I couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. My mind refused to accept the reality that Theon—who had risked his life to save me—was gone.
But I had to move. I had to get back. Get help. I wiped the tears from my face, forcing myself to stand. My legs were weak, barely able to hold me, but I stumbled forward, trying to find my way back. I needed to report this to someone—anyone.
The teachers. Who led the trip? Was it the homeroom teacher? It didn’t matter. Someone had to know. Someone had to find Theon.
