Evolution

Chapter 11 - The Jump

Along the way I decided to call home and let everyone know I was okay and that I was on my way back to them. They must have been worried sick about me. I could only imagine how my mom freaked out when dad gave her the news of my capture and impending death. She probably cried her eyes out. I needed to get to them before Scorpio did and it was only a matter of time before they went after them. If anything happened to my family it would be all my fault. I brought them into this mess now I needed to find a way to get them out of it. After what just happened Scorpio would be after them tenfold just to get at me. I couldn’t let that happen. I stare out the car window as we turned into my subdivision.

“You know they’re not going to be there.” Autumn said driving. She had just turned sixteen only a few months ago and had since then forged herself a driver’s license so that she could drive somewhat legally. In the last twenty minutes she had nearly crashed us twice. Both times she denied it being her fault. According to her, the cars she almost hit came out of nowhere. “This is the first place Scorpio would have looked after you got busted.” She finished as she pulled into my driveway.

“I know, but I still need to grab a few things.” I replied getting out of the car. The cool breeze of the wind felt amazing as I stared at what I used to be my home. The place took my first steps, the place I said my first words, the place I felt the safest. All that was gone now as Scorpio had wiped away any security I felt being in that house.

I walked up to the front porch and stood in front of the door. Taking in a deep breath, I held my hand over the doorknob and concentrated on the lock inside. I waited a few seconds for the familiar clink of the door as it unlocked but never came. The door was already unlocked. That was the first sign something was wronged, but I overlooked it.

Stepping inside the house I noticed everything was untouched. It was just how it was when I had left only four days earlier, even the TV was still on. That was the second sign that something was wrong, but once again I overlooked it. I jogged up my bedroom and grabbed some clothes and other things and stuffed them in a carrying bag I usually used when I would go camping with my dad. I had just finished packing when I heard someone coming up the stairs. It was Travis.

“Hurry up before Scorpio gets here.” He said as he stood in the doorway. I just nodded and grabbed my phone off my dresser. “What’s that ticking noise?” Travis asked curiously looking over at my backpack in the corner of the room. That was the third sign something was wrong, and this time I noticed it. It looked from Travis to the backpack in the corner and immediately recognized the weird buldge of the contents inside.

“Run!” I yelled bolting for the door. We hopped down the stairs three at a time and had just made it to the door when a violent explosion rocked the room. We pushed through the front door and dove out into the grass just as the flames engulfed the entire house only milliseconds later. That was close. Too close. I rolled over on my back trying to catch my breath and keep my lungs from exploding. I hadn’t ran that fast since in—well, ever. I heard Autumn and Lauren exit the car and come running our way.

“Oh my god are you okay?!” they both cried in near perfect unison.

“Never better! You know I like a good sprint in the afternoon.” Travis chuckled getting up onto his feet. He was laughing at nearly being blown up! This guy was an adrenaline junky. I got up slowly dusting myself off.

“We need to go. Like now.” Autumn hurried, walking back towards the car. I muttered under my breath before following her back to David’s car. The police and fire department, along with Scorpio, would probably be here in a couple of minutes.

 “So where to?” Autumn asked pulling out of the driveway and heading down the street.

“I need to call and find out where my family is.” I said whipping out my phone and preparing to dial my mom’s number.