1 CHAPTER 1

2nd August,2019.

The cold air threw her auburn hair back, signalling that it was time for Autumn. Autumn... The month plants whither and fall out of their trees, leaving room for new life. It's beautiful yet a damned time of the year. Looking at the time going past midnight, she had to go knowing her mother would be worried if she didn't get home by 1o'clock.

The place is filled with teenagers either drinking, smoking or sniffing come or just basically grinding body parts just so to get some kind of sensation. She cringed at the look and smell of sweaty kids.

Walking towards her best friend, she taped her shoulder knowing yelling her name would be pointless, because of the loud music and drunk kids.

She turned making her hair whip back. Her platinum blonde hair contrasted her forest green eyes, but made for a perfect and unique combination. The red dress she wore not only made her perfect curves show but released a sexy aura to it. She looked like a sex goddess in the dress and high heels. She let go of the of the quater back she had been crushing on since the beginning of her freshman year.

"Katie I have to go its past midnight!" She practically screamed in her ear.

" Do you want me to drive you?!"

"Nah I'm good, I'll just trek home!"

"You sure?!" Katie looked at her wary.

"I'm sure. You have fun!"

"Be careful. Text me when you get home. Okay?!"

"I will". With a peck on her cheek she turned on her heel and headed for the door, she had to fight her way through the sweat and grinding bodies. Making a mental note to never let Katie pick her parties.

Katie was like a sister to her. They did everything together. She was right to be worried. This whole year had been stressful for her. Captain of the volley ball and soft ball team. She had a swimming competition coming up. She was an athlete but never missed her academic clubs too. To top it all off she had assignments and homecoming to plan. All this was just a distraction from what was really going on in her life. A distraction to what really lay behind the curtains.

With one last glance at the house at the house with the pool of sweaty sex crazed drunk kids, she smiled and walked out the door. Katie was right, she really needed this,she needed to quote on quote "get down to earth", she chuckled remembering how much Katie had begged her to go to the party. She left the house and began to walk.

Benckister Willow, the place she grew up to love and suddenly hate. This place held secrets beyond man's comprehension, and she wished she never opened the doors with the skeletons. She needed to get out of this place and her plans were already set in motion. With the only connection she had she planned to live somewhere else, find a community school and a part time job to sustain her. She loved the idea of standing on her own feet for once. She'd miss this place dearly, but she had to. For the sake of her mother and brother, for the sake of her.

The dark streets of Benckister Willow were quiet and she very much enjoyed it. But that was short lived. She knew it and practically felt it.

Taking a left on the next block she had noticed a black Sudan following her. She couldn't see the driver, and had no way of identifying the him or her. Silently hoping it was a woman, she could easily over power her.

Picking up her pace the car continued to move on her route. She had to look for somewhere to hide and fast. To her dismay nothing could save her. All she could hear was her heart beating furiously against her chest and footsteps. These weren't hers, they were heavy and whoever it was was taking longer strides than she.

Now following her on foot.

She stopped, only to see a dark silhouette of a man. This time she ran, praying to God she comes out of this alive. "This will not be my end" she swore under her breath.

Seeing nothing she could use for a weapon, she took the next right. Which was a mistake and probably her last. Shit.

Trapped between a wired fenced and her attacker. She could not let this person take her life, not this time at least, she had unfinished business.

She had never done it before but before she knew it she was free falling from the top of the fence.

"Ah!" She screamed, her ankle was turning into a disgusting red colour.

"Keep moving" she just had to. She promised herself she wouldn't give up. Not this time and not never. She ran passed the wooded area of the park she fell into and pushed through the skimpy bushes not glancing behind.

She emerged from the thin thicket and saw the familiar houses, she knew she was home.

"Almost home, Rae" she convinced herself. And limped forward to victory, or so she thought.

Suddenly a large arm wrapped around her throat, blocking her air way. Her attacker got the best of her, or so he thought.

With the intention of chocking her he held on tighter. Feeling a wet liquid on her check she tried gasping for air.

" Ssshhhh(!), I promise it will be fast and painless" his voice tight. A shiver travelled down her spine. The voice vaguely familiar.

Who are you? She tried to think,but that would be a question she would answer later, because this will not spell her end.

She had to act fast. Connecting her elbow to his stomach and her foot to his crotch, she bolted for the nearest house.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you". Click.

Sweat trickled down from her temples and down to the sides of her face, knowing all too well.Looking back she came face to face with a gun. The moon shone perfectly on her attacker.

"You? (!)" Was all she could muster. Before she knew it BANG!

The hot bullet tore through her flesh and her face hit the cold ground.

This was it. Her life flashing before her very eyes. She was never going to see her brother, her poor mother...

Hyperventilating she wanted to fight back, wanted to fight for her,her family and friends and all this monster of a man has tortured but the warm blood leaving her body just reminded her of how weak and feeble she was. "Poor Rae", ran in her mind as darkness finally consumed her.

***

He stepped toward her limb body and inspected it. He knew she wasn't dead, placing two fingers onto her nape of the neck and his hunch was cleared. She was alive with a faint pulse. Good, he needed her that way.

Now that he stared above her, he saw just how vulnerable and meaningless her life was. Her hair laid sprawled on the ground. The moon shone delicately on her skin and made her look almost porcelain. Angelic, almost made him change his mind and take her to the hospital. Almost, being the keyword. That would be ridiculous, what's done is done and needs to be finished. With one last glance, he rose with her limp body in arms and walked back from where he came.

Rae's body was much lighter than he expected and made the journey back to his Sudan much easier. The car was parked at the back of an alley way of a Chinese restaurant and blended well with the building's shadows.

Once the back door was opened, he scanned the streets for any potential witnesses that may be lurking around, much to his approval nothing seemed out of the ordinary and the streets were silent.

The engine started with a low purr and backed out the alley way, leaving the usual dumpsters at bay as though nothing happened and that's how he wanted it to be. He had made sure that the shell casing was picked from the ground lest him being identified before his plan could take flight and he didn't plan on getting caught anytime soon.

The streets were so silent and made the adrenaline rushing in him die down and relaxed his muscles.

" Rae, I wish you were awake to enjoy this with me. It's too bad you're unconscious."

Determineation was anew in his veins as he pressed forward into the night.

This was just the beginning.