Dark City

2.

Blood congealed across her cheek. The plastic rim of a water bottle was pressed to her lips and a stale liquid rolled down her tongue.

Two young boys stood before her. They carried gnarled branches tucked through their belt loops like swords. One of them was a scrawny, fair-skinned boy with many freckles and light eyelashes. His blonde hair that fell an inch above his chin made him look like a girl at first. As Alex came to, she screamed out in terror.

The other boy hushed her cries, whispering softly, "It's okay. We're here to help." He was tall with dark hair and had eyes that put her at ease.

Alex was bound to one of the large oaks with a black rubber cord wrapped multiple times around her and knotted up tight. The sun was setting and the air became as orange as the leaves.

"How do we cut this?" the fair-haired boy whispered.

"Let me use your key," said the dark-haired boy. He took his friend's house key from around his neck and used it to fray the cord until it snapped. Alex's legs couldn't bear weight and she sank to the forest floor immediately. The boys caught her and propped her back up against the tree.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Nathan," said the dark-haired boy, kneeling beside her. He removed the stick from his hip and handed it to the other boy.

"I'm Tom," the other boy said. "You're safe now."

"Where's Hannah?"

"There was someone else with you?"

"Did he get her? Is she--she can't--no." Alex's words gave way to sobbing. Nathan put an arm around her shoulders and she caved into him, shaking with fear. "Am I dying?"

"Tom, go get help. I'll stay with her in case the witches come back."

"You got it!" Tom bolted off, shouting back to them, "I'll get everyone I can find!"

Alex examined the boy called Nathan, anxious in her evaluation of whether or not he could be trusted. He had a kind face, and she couldn't see any reason for him to pretend to be rescuing her. "Witches?" she asked.

"This is where they sacrifice animals."

"Then why aren't we leaving?"

"It isn't safe to move you. You have a head injury. A bad one." Alex reached back and felt that her hair was soaked in blood. "Don't touch it," Nathan said.

"He'll come back!" cried Alex, her heart beating so fast it ached. "He'll get us!"

"Did you see him?"

"Yes."

"All right. Try and remember what he looks like."

Alex bent forward and tears began to drip from her eyes.

"Hey. Don't cry. You have nothing to worry about. Tom and I know this forest through and through, and you're under our protection. Nobody can beat us. You know why?"

Alex shook her head, choking on her sobs.

"'Cause we're the good guys. You're okay now. You're safe with me."

Alex's weeping subsided and she looked into Nathan's eyes. He was telling her a fairytale to calm her down, but in this moment, she needed to believe it.

"We're gonna find your parents and get you home. What's your name?"

"Alexandria Stockton. I prefer Alex."

The boy bowed his head. "You live in the big house made of stone."

People in Neptune Township knew her parents well. Her father ran the local fencing club and her mother was always hosting fancy fundraising parties for the town's elite.