The Starling Vigilante [Watty's 2015 Award Winner]

Chapter 15

Shaken by the previous events, I sat up on the cold, tarmac road, my knees cut from my fall and my hands red with pain. My body ached as I attempted to stand up, weary from my encounter. I just wanted everything to go back to normal and be at home with my family.

Unfortunately wishes don't come true.

Suddenly, I remembered Matthew. He had been captured too, and I needed to find him. He could be being held hostage somewhere, or even tortured. I really had no idea.

'Matthew?' I shouted, hoping he was nearby. That was kind of a childish thing to do, expecting him to be right there.

No answer came.

Instinct kicking in, I knew something was wrong. Running through the streets of the city, I kept turning my head and shouting Matthew's name. It was all my fault Matthew was in this mess. It was like Blake all over again.

Then my worry turned to anger.

'Merlyn!' I shouted, hot tears forming in my eyes. 'MERLYN!'

No answer.

Cursing in annoyance, I sat back down on the curb with blurred eyes, not able to do anything. I didn't know where I was, what to do or where to go. I just sat there, downtrodden.

Where was Matthew? What had Merlyn done to him? I was stupid to take him with me; it wasn't like Merlyn was going to make allowances just for one person. For all I knew Natthew could be gone, forever. All down to me.

After many minutes of reflection, I heard the sound of a car. A familiar-sounding car. the splutter of the petrol fumes vaguely recognisable in my mind. Looking up, I saw the scratched shell of Matthew's car, a smile across his face.

Expressing bewilderment, I stood up in shock, staggering.

'You're... here?' I asked, taken aback.

'Yeah, why wouldn't I be?' Matthew asked back, confused.

'Erm, I don't know,' I just said. But what I really wanted to say was that I was scared. Scared that he wasn't alright, that he was in danger, if he was alive, if Merlyn had gotten hold of him or not. I was always anxious for the people around me and myself for that matter.

Getting into Matthew's car, I sighed with relief, my mind at rest. He was safe.

'What happened to you?' Matthew asked, the state of my appearances shocking him.

'I fell,' I said vaguely. I didn't know what happened to Matthew, so there wasn't any point in telling him what happened until he told me what he knew. If I slipped up and told him about Merlyn the consequences could be great. 'What happened to you?'

'I blacked out,' Matthew replied. 'I think I fainted. And then I found myself led next to my car.' Again relief washed over me. He didn't see Merlyn. Or anybody for that matter.

'But seriously, Aria, what happened?' He said with a more serious note.

'I blacked out too,' I said, lying. 'And I ended up somewhere around here and I tried to find my way back. But then you found me here.'

I hated what I had done. I never lied. Never. It was against my beliefs and I felt so bad for telling such a lie. My first proper lie. But then I remembered it was to protect Matthew.

I kept risking the lives of others around me. And that was going to stop.