It feels like it's been an eternity since I've last updated!

Chapter 20: Being scared can make you do crazy things

Emery's POV

"Where does Emery and River Denton think they're going?"

I would've ran. But the fact that the familiar man's voice said Emery and River Denton made me slightly curious. How could this man know we are related when I had just found out an hour and a half ago. Well I guess I'm about to find out.

Once I've released River's hold on me I turned around to match the man's face with his vaguely familiar voice. It was honestly really hard to tell who this man was with a beanie covering his entire forehead. It also didn't help that it was pitch black outside either. Finally when the man turned his head to look over at River, it seemed like his face was much more easier to identify.

I sighed in relief once I realized it's just Keith.

I don't get it though.

Did River already tell him about us? I looked over at River to see him acting very calm about the situation at hand. If there even is a situation. I looked over Keith, he seems dressed in black just like River and I. I swear if River told him about our escape plan he has a lot of explaining to do. Wait a second...

Do we even have an escape plan? River just said that we were going to get out of here. But what happens when we do? Where are we supposed to go in this small town without Raiden knowing about it?

I stare back at Keith with curiosity flooding my green orbs. I soon see him pick up a large bag that blended in with the dark ground.

"Where does Emery and River Denton think they're going....without me?" For a second there I thought I was gonna have to hit him over the head with my bag.

"River! Why would you tell Keith about any of this?" I accused. But before I can mentally curse him out, he interrupts.

"I didn't utter a single thing about this to anyone! And I'm certainly not stupid enough to spill to Keith," he spat. I looked over at Keith again. If I didn't tell Keith and neither did River, then who did? I was about to bring it up if Keith hadn't spoke. Once he did I swallowed my words in shock.

"I knew you guys were escaping before you even knew," he confusingly confessed. What does that sentence even mean? At the moment I've come to a conclusion that Keith is officially crazy! I knew he was a bit weird once I came here and met him but I didn't know he was mentally insane. The way he said those words made him sound like a complete lunatic. It sent shivers down my back. The only reasonable explanation that I could come up with was that he overheard River and I's conversation.

"I think it's time you knew the truth about me Emery. Since you're so oblivious," I'm oblivious! Did he really just insult me? Sorry for not catching on, you Grade-A stalker. Okay okay, I may have been a bit harsh to him but seriously, calling me oblivious. I'm sorry if I can't pay attention to everyone's secret agendas while I'm trying to survive under Raiden's watch.

"I'm pretty sure everyone has guessed it except you. So I'll just come out with it. I'm psychic," he says bluntly. The words are very unfamiliar to my ears. I try to rake through my brain to figure out what the word means. So it takes a couple seconds to finally figure out what the word meant. So I know psychic means...seeing into the future! If he claims to have psychic abilities that means he can....No! I don't believe in stuff like that. I don't believe in phenomenons. It's just impossible to me, physics don't exist. Never has, never will.

"Emery, I know what's going to happen before it even happens," he explains. Like that one sentence will make me believe in whatever he claims himself to be.

"I don't believe you! How come you didn't save me from the car crash if you supposedly knew it was gonna happen," I shouted at him. It's true, how come when I got hurt he was never there.

"I didn't know that would happen! I had this vision that you would get into that car and escape successfully. That car crash never appeared in my vision," he explained. If what he's saying is true then he might not know about RW. RW was the one who cut my brakes after all.

"Look Emery, my visions come to me, I don't ask for them. I've been trying to help you, but my visions have all been wrong lately."

"What do you mean?" I questioned curiously. If he's a psychic he should be able to predict what's to come. Not that I believe in any of that...

"One time I had this vision that you'd be making lunch for the gang when they came home from their mission. But instead you were framed for theft," he informed. RW did that too. How come he isn't visioning what RW is gonna do next? Instead he's visioning what should've happen before RW ruins it.

Goodness gracious! RW still doesn't leave a trace, even in Keith's mind.

"Look, I knew River was coming to ask if he could join Raiden's gang. In my vision I felt that he was really important, especially to you. So I persuaded Raiden to let him join,"he coaxed me, hoping that I'll believe him.

"Okay, so why are you here now?" I asked. I don't know if I'll ever believe Keith, maybe one day. It just doesn't seem real to me.

"Well actually I overheard you guys. So that's how I know you both are related," he concluded. I still don't understand why he's here though.

"Then why have you decided to invite yourself?" River questioned angrily. He must've not wanted anyone knowing.

"Remember the first night you came here Emery? I said maybe one day we can both escape this place forever. I think now is that time. Ever since I met you its like all my visions seem to be about protecting you, I'm just always too late. I think faith has brought you here for something way beyond our imaginations. There's something important here for you Emery, you just don't know it yet."

Faith didn't bring me here, Raiden did! There is also nothing important for me here, all that's here is the tortured memories I'm choosing to leave behind.

"EMERY!" I hear Raiden holler. He must be in the garden! I can't believe how much time we've wasted. I can see that Keith's and River's eyes have widen along with mine.

"Okay quietly but carefully follow me," River whispered as he ran hurriedly towards the forest. Geez, what ever happened to never leave a man behind?

I look at Keith worriedly as we both start running the way River went. I felt something drop from my backpack but I don't dare turn around to see what it was I dropped. However I slightly turn around while slowing my pace as I zipped my backpack halfway to prevent anything else from falling out.

We have finally caught up with River. While avoiding and hitting tree branches, I still don't know where we're heading. I wince, feeling little cuts here and there from smacking the tree branches. I take deep breathes while running, waiting for us to be at the end of this forest.

I feel like it goes on for miles.

It probably does. I don't know how much more I can run, I already feel sore and thirsty. I want to stop but who knows how long it'll take for him to find us here. I can tell we need to go a lot farther. Even if we leave this town I don't think I can ever be far enough from Raiden, I don't think I can ever escape him.

Even if I'm running I still feel like I'm suffocating. I need to get away and I'm not sure if I can pull it off. Even with Keith and River by my side, I think Raiden will still be able to find us.

It's this feeling I can't explain.

I fall to the ground screaming while I hold onto my left ear. There's this unbearable buzzing pain just right behind my ear. It feels as if a sharp needle is going through my ear.

River and Keith both stop at the same time huffing for breathe as they look back at me. They both kneel down next to my squirming and screaming appearance. I can't take the buzzing that's going through my ear. This isn't normal for my ear to be vibrating like a phone.

"Emery, Emery what's wrong?" River questioned looking up and down at my body, trying to find an injury.

"I..It's my e..ear," I stuttered badly. Once I speak, my voice seems to be buzzing along with my ear.

He sits me up as he looks at my ear. He moves my ear to the side, finally noticing where the buzzing is coming from. By the intake of breathe he just took, I can tell he knows what's wrong with me.

"What's happening?" Keith asks shockingly.

"We need to leave!" River exclaims and he tries to lift me up. "She can't go anywhere like this! What's going on?" For supposedly being a psychic he really doesn't know what's going on.

"I think Raiden implanted a tracker behind Emery's ear. The buzzing means he turned it on which means he's tracking her. Which means we need to leave now!" He explains hurriedly. Keith takes a look behind my ear like he's not believing it himself.

"Woah, why's it glowing orange?" He questioned. "Like I said, he turned it on! Let's go," River once again tries to lift me up but my body just can't take it even though it's only my ear that's hurting.

"We can't, he's probably halfway here by now! We need a plan."

~*~**~*~**~*~

I'm partly not on board with this plan. We are all up on individual trees that circle each other widely. I slowly started getting used to the buzzing in my ear. Which helped me climb up this tree without whimpering back in pain.

River's plan is when Raiden's tracker leads him here he'll be confused as to why I'm not where the tracker says I am. Technically I'm here, I'm just in the air. Anyway, while Raiden has his confused moment, Keith and River will jump on top of him while I run. Trust me, I've tried to object.

First of all what if Raiden has his men with him, they can't possibly take all of them by themselves.

Second of all, unlike River I don't leave any man behind. Especially when I won't know what to do if the plan succeeds...for me.

Third of all, I'm bound to get caught by Raiden's men If I even try to run.

But of course River didn't listen which means we are still up in the tree. I stop thinking once I hear heavy foot steps stomping on the twigs and leaves. I look up to see its Raiden with his phone in hand, glowing on his face.

He stops right in the middle of the circled tress where all three of us are currently hiding in. I can see Graham and Duncan behind him including his guards, Drake and Sawyer.

Before Keith and River can jump down, Raiden looks up and he looks directly at my tree. I try to duck my head a little more but his eyes caught mine and I can tell he saw me.

I'm so dead this time.

He drops his phone onto the ground as he runs towards my tree. I caught River and Keith's eyes in mine as I signal them not to jump down. I look down to see Raiden swiftly climbing up the tree as he almost gets to my branch.

I look next to me to see another branch very close to me. I take the chance and cross over the small gap to get into the other branch. By that time, Raiden has already climb onto my previous branch. I scream as I avoid his hand catching my foot. I look up and wrap my hands around the branch that's above this one. I pull myself up quickly before he can catch my foot. Once I'm up Raiden stands himself steadily on the branch as he raises his hands above his head and places them on the one I'm currently sitting on.

He starts to pull himself up while I start to panic as I tried to jump on the other branch that's just 5 feet away.

Key word, tried.

I miss the branch and start to fall until a large, rough hand grabbed mine. I scream as I looked down.

Being scared can make you do crazy things.

Did I forget to mention that this tree is 12 feet tall?

I look up to see Raiden's struggling face as he tries to hold me up. "Emery, give me your other hand," he demanded angrily. I look at my left hand that's just dangling by my side shockingly.

I can't do this, I'm afraid that if I even lift up my arm that I'll go falling down. But I can tell Raiden is struggling to keep himself on that branch without falling.

"No, I can't. Not gonna happen. Nope. This isn't happening. I can't die. I'm going to fall. I'll break my neck. That's it, I'm gonna die. This is the last night of my life. I won't make it. You're gonna let go. I'll be stabbed by a stick and bleed out to death. I can't believe I'll die just by falling from a tree. That's pathetic. I'll never be remembered. I forgot to do the things on by bucket list. I also forgot to write my bucket list. This is the worst-" I'm soon cut off by Raiden grabbing my jacket with both hands and pulling me up.

"I'm not letting you go, ever!" He grumbled while placing me right in front of him. With that sentence I stopped rambling, thinking that his sentence may have a double meaning to it.

"And like hell I'm gonna let you die," with that he grabbed my jacket and pulled me roughly to him, ramming my lips into his.

He kissed me deeply and passionately, like I'll disappear from his grasp in any second. I didn't push him away as I melted into him, kissing him back. I hesitantly put my hands on his face which has grown a bit of a stubble.

I knew deep down I could never escape him.

It's just took me until now to realize it.

Maybe Keith was right.

Hello my dearest readers!
I know how long this update took but like I said last chapter I'm writing a new book that I have yet to publish.

Okay, I'm refraining from promoting my second book on this book. Anyway, I wrote half this chapter like a week ago and I totally forgot about it. I'm a very forgetful person when it comes to this book.

I finally revealed Keith's secret which I know most of you must've figured out already. I mean I did kind of made it a bit obvious.

Well I guess there's nothing else to say except for vote, comment, and share!

Oh and....I hope you like the new cover made by Joli_Belle

Until next chapter.....

💕Izzy💕