AVA
She wanted to be with him at the moment, and yet she didn’t want that. She would seem desperate and weak if she ventured into his arms instead of strong and upset, which she was supposed to be.
Ava had tussled on the bed, over and over since she and Anna retired to bed, thinking of being with Beck just like those nights when Anna was missing. Then she thought of his soothing voice whenever he comforted her. She needed to hear that voice; she needed that assurance that by the following day she and her siblings would go back to their normal lives.
She got up, feeling that it was better she was yearning for him and not mad at him. After all, he had a good reason to have lied.
As she got to the door of his room, she felt a hand cover her nose and mouth while a sharp blade was placed at her neck. Before she could muffle or tug at the hand on her face, a man whispered, “Make a noise and you’re gone,” in her ears. Then
AVAAva, who was seated on the bed beside Beck, looked away from the dark sky through the window, glancing at him. Anna had said this was the room she slept in when she was brought for the ritual.As Ava watched him take his rest after the fight with Annika, several thoughts ran through her mind: she wondered why the universe let her car stop at that point on the road. If they hadn’t stopped, she and Anna would be planning how much fun they’d have in the second and last week of their spring vacation.She also thought that she wouldn’t have met Beck if they’d never been stranded. She knew she had only known him for a week but the effect he had on her has never been like any of the guys she had a crush on or dated. There was something special about him, she knew that, nonetheless she couldn’t tell what it was or why she was so attracted to him.She was supposed to be upset with him for his deceit and his recent atroci
AVAAva raised her head and opened her eyes. She removed her hands off Anna and Bruce while looking in the direction where Sara, Beck, and Annika were.Sara was seated on the ground at their heads in a meditation style. Getting close to her, she noticed her face was scrunched up.The sound of faint voices caused Ava to look around. Some of the people were already on their feet holding and murmuring to each other while others were getting up as they looked around.Ava joined in looking around to see a messy environment. Pieces of paper and plastics, that looked like were trash littered the area. There were also tree parts littered: leaves, branches. As she turned around, observing, she finally settled her eyes on Dylan. He was taking pictures of the environment with his camera. She frowned: displeased that he was still going on about his story.Then she turned to face her siblings.J
COPYRIGHT©2020 BY JERUBEL KEZIAHThis book is a work of fiction and the sole product of the author’s imagination. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), incidents, business establishments, or locales is completely coincidental. Only the locations are real but are still used fictitiously.All rights reserved. The uploading, scanning, and distribution of any part of this book in any form or by any means (including but not limited to electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or by any information storage, and retrieval system) without the permission of the author is illegal and punishable by the law. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.The only platform you can find this story is GoodNovel/Inkitt/Wattpad under the profile of @Jerub
AVAThis was absolutely the perfect thing to ruin the trip: Ava’s gray Toyota Corolla stopped in the middle of a narrow trunk road with nothing but trees around. Of all places, why did it have to be where there didn’t seem to be any form of life around except the forest around them?Ava tied her honey blonde hair in a rough bun with a scrunchie, got down from the car, and headed for the hood to check what had caused the car to halt. After realizing that the battery was dead, she shut the hood and went back to the driver’s seat.Just then the teenage redhead who was sleeping on the passenger’s seat stirred before opening her eyes. Anna rubbed her eyes. “Have we reached?”“No,” Ava answered, staring at her sister and frowning. She was sure they should have reached Raleigh by that time but they hadn’t.Anna turned to look out the window. She faced Ava again. “Where are we?”Ava huffed
AVAAftera long walk under the rain, the three of them finally approached a huge cabin. The man was upfront while Anna and Ava trailed behind him. The rain, at the moment, was drizzling.During the walk, Ava thought several times about running back to her car with Anna. That might have been possible if there weren’t dark clouds and the downpour of the heavens. The trees, also, formed a canopy, which made the forest almost pitch black. If it wasn’t for the dim flashlight the man used, she, Anna, and the man would have groped in the darkness.“Welcome to my humble abode,” the man said, gesturing to the cabin.“Is this where you live?” Anna asked once they stopped in front of the cabin.He turned around to glance at them. “Yes.”Ava examined the cabin and its surrounding. It seemed like there were no people living close by except the trees. She looked back at the man. “You live i
BECKBeck,Ava, and Anna were seated in the living room as the rain poured heavily once more. Anna and Ava were still seated at their position while Beck was seated on a wooden chair across Ava and beside Anna. They had been getting to know each other in the last hour or twain while eating dinner prepared by Beck.Anna was a thirteen-year-old still in middle school. Her school had just gone on spring break which was why she was on the road with her sister. They were going to spend the holiday at Charlotte. They always went there every summer. Being there at spring would be the first.Ava was a twenty-six-year-old nurse. Because their parents were no more, she was Anna’s guardian as well as her brother’s. She provided their needs and did everything she could within her power to ensure Anna wasn’t taken away from her by the government of North Carolina.Beck, well according to what he told them, was a twenty-seve
BECKDrip,drop, drip, drop,sounded the rain on the roof. In the last thirty minutes, that had been one of the things keeping Beck awake. The other was the fact he hadn’t said the part of the story that would really trigger them to get back on the road, only for them to walk right into the trap.Deciding to tell at least one of them, he got out of bed and exited the room.Stealthily, he opened a door, hoping it was Ava’s room. In the room, there was no light; the only form was that of moonlight through the window, which was faint. He tiptoed to the bed and lied beside the girl, leaning on his elbow. He stroked her hair away from her face, and with the moonlight he saw it was the one he wanted to see.He stared at her profile, admiring her set jaw and smooth cheek. He wished the light was bright so he could register more of her features in his mind.Remembering that he came for something e
ANNAAnothermorning in the cabin had Anna woken up to. A frown found its way on her face when she realized Ava had nothing to do with her getting up. She got down from her bed and without haste, advanced to leave the room to search for her sister.As she stepped out of her room, Beck, who was well shaven and whose hair was neatly and nicely cut, appeared in front of her.They exchanged pleasantries before he said, “You’re up early, again.”“I already told you,” said she impassively, “this is time Ava wakes me up. My body’s used to it.”He glanced at Anna’s door. “Is she in there?”“No.”He looked back at her. “She’s still asleep?”“I think so. I haven’t checked for her in her room yet.”