Try Me

Two

The Encounter

"You're still here?" Ian asked, leaning over her shoulder to peer at her Ipad and study notes.

"You're still here as well." Ezra pointed out, using her elbow to push him away from her slightly. He was disrupting her study rhythm.

"Yeah well the library is closing so we need to leave." Only then did she realise that they were indeed the only ones left in the room and the lights were slowly being shut off. She groaned as she packed up her things, she felt as if she hadn't achieved anything and her final exams as well as her resits were looming over her, a never-ending sense of dread.

"Damn it's dark." She muttered as she and Ian stepped out of the library on to the empty road, aside from a few cars and fellow students leaving as well.

"Yeah really dark."He agreed, staring up at the dark sky, barely lit up by the moon. The streetlights weren't much help either. Half of them flickering on and off, or not even on at all. "Will you be alright on your way home?" He asked with worry and Ezra rolled her eyes before hitting his chest playfully.

"Don't be ridiculous. We live in opposite directions and my place is only a walk of a few minutes. You stilll have to take bus. Besides, I'm sure the boys are waiting up to finish that one drama with you. Sonny wouldn't shut up about it."

"Which one? Alice in Borderland?" He questioned with a furrowed brow and Ezra nodded. "Yeah loves that one. I do worry though, he's already quite a strange kid and I wonder if loves it so much because of the violence and the dark concept."

"Ian please." Ezra laughed, shaking her head with a fond smile. "He's a kid and in he's in that weird violent video game phase of being a teenager. My brother was the same, they grow out of it, trust me."

"Well, if you say so." Ian checked his watch, eyes widening slightly. "I got to go, the bus is leaving soon. I'll see you tomorrow, same time!" He said while runnning off towards his bus stop. Ezra waved him goodbye before putting on her headphones, beginning her small walk home. Suddenly, her nostrils picked up the smell of smoke and she could see the flickers of a large blaze in the distance. She looked around desperately, there was no sign of any first responders and she figured those inside the burning house must still be asleep, it was well past midnight anyway. She found herself running towards the burning building, phone out to start calling the fire services. Her mind raced as she tried to remember her lecture on how to to treat burn wounds and emergency situations, God she hoped she could get there in time. Just as she turned the corner a loud banging sound echoed through the empty street and she held back a shriek, she clenched her eyes shut, hoping the building hadn't collapsed and whoever was inside could still be saved. However as she opened her eyes she was met with the sight of two men holding a body between them, they're eyes set on her. Something told her they weren't here to help with the fire and might've probably caused it instead.

There was silence as the two men looked at each other before looking back at her. Ezra didn't hesitate to turn around and start running, she knew there was no sense in trying to figure out what they were doing or debating whether to call the police or not. She could do all that when she was safe or not at all, this was something she felt she needed to stay far away from and not get involved in the slightest.

"Fuck." Yong exclaimed as he watched the girl run away, "Take care of him, I'll take care of her!" He yelled at Noah as he began to chase after her.

Ezra could hear the footsteps of someone chasing after her but she didn't turn to look, that would only slow her down and she needed to maintain a distance between herself and the man. She ran and ran, completely forgetting she was asthmatic and didn't even have her inhaler with her. Whatever, she'd rather die due to an asthma attack than by the hands of whoever those people were. Suddenly she felt something wizz past her, cutting her ear slightly. He had shot at her. Her eyes widened and she quickly turned the corner, her heart rate increasing rapidly. This was no longer a case of simply getting to safety; in a matter of seconds things had turned into a scene that could have been taken from a thriller. She rushed to hide behind a large dumpster, holding her hand against her bleeding ear. She rested her head against the wall as she tried to control her breathing, she had only been trying to get home from the library. How did things get like this?