GAGE

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Stepping out of the room, I almost knock over Ava. Righting her footing, she mumbles, "Whoa, you look like you've seen a ghost."

If only I had.

Her eyes narrow on the crook of my neck and I suppress a groan, knowing what she noticed. Her eyes nearly bulge out of her sockets as she gasps loudly, "Is that a love bite?"

"Hush." I press my palm against her mouth and look around for any bystanders who might have noticed her screech. Seeing no one in our immediate surrounding my shoulders droop in relief.

Taking her arm I drag her away from the room, not wanting to waste time replying and chance seeing Gage again.

"Let's go." I continue to pull her down the corridor and out of the building.

"So, now you want to hurry? You were the one who took your sweet time." Coming to a stop in front of her car, she frowns at me, "What took you so long?"

I scratch my head mumbling awkwardly, "I wasn't concentrating in class, so the professor wanted to have a word with me." I'm thankful that I am able to maintain eye contact while speaking, seeing as it was only partially the truth and I was lying by omission.

A smirk brightens her face. "No way! You were not concentrating in class? I find that very hard to believe." Ava chastises, before gasping, "Unless, there was a really good looking hunk!"

I feel a flush creeping up my neck and I resist the urge to stomp my feet in annoyance with my give away reaction, as, my heated cheeks says it all.

"Oh my gosh, there is! Who is he?"

"Oh just some guy in class," I say evasively, not wanting to talk about Gage.

"You didn't get his name?" Ava purses her lips sadly.

"No. He was sitting in the front." I look at my watch and try to play it cool. But, noticing the time, I realise just how long I was alone with Gage.

Thirty minutes.

Holy cow! We were shouting in each other's face for that long? Well, technically I did all the shouting and he spoke in that chilling, deathly calm note... Oh, that low baritone was dangerous and sexy at the same time. It had my pulse thumping euphorically, my blood simmering deliciously the entire time.

Okay, that was beside the point, but, that long? It seemed like mere minutes, certainly not half an hour.

Whenever we're together, why do I always feel like time comes to a standstill? Like it's just the two of us in the world? Why does the the rest of the world fade away?

"I wish I had taken that class." Ava's gloomy tone brings my attention back to the conversation.

I look around and note a handful of vehicles in the parking lot. "We should get going."

Buckling my seat belt, I catch my reflection in the side mirror and quickly pull the collar of my shirt tighter around my neck.

Reversing out of the parking lot, Ava casts a mischievous look my way, before looking back at the road.

I brace myself, knowing what's coming.

"Is that hickey from Reid?" A smile tugs at the corner of her lips, revealing her excitement for juicy gossip.

"Reid?" My brows wrinkle, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words.

Then it hits me like a freight train- my lie about kissing Reid. No wonder she thinks the love bite is from him.

Gulping, I mumble regretfully yet another lie, "Yeah."

Dear God, the lies just keep mounting!

She giggles, before calming herself. "Okay, okay, don't be such a sour puss. I won't pester you anymore. Unless, you want to go into detail, then I'm all ears." Winking at me she gazes back ahead.

"Nope. Nothing to share here."

She gives me her best puppy dog eyes and I immediately turn towards the window, not wanting to succumb to its devastating potency.

"How was your class?" The change of topic works and she chatters away happily about her class for the rest of the ride.

Coming home, I lock myself in my room and let my mind wander.

Is Gage really not on drugs? If so, why go to the extreme level of becoming my professor? Why not ask me out on a date like a normal person? He spoke about not having enough time, is he suffering from an illness and at the risk of dying?

That thought causes my heart to squeeze painfully, like an invisible vise clutching it ruthlessly and sending pain throughout my body.

God, I hope he's okay.

Not being able to sit and stress about the day's events, I don black yoga pants and an oversized tee, before tugging on running shoes and heading out the apartment towards the trekking path in the woods.

Drowning out visions of Gage, I concentrate on the vast greenery, the chirping of birds and crickets; take in natural, soothing air, the smell of pine and Earth and the orange glow of the setting Sun.

What is it about nature that never fails to bring a sense of calm over you?

Meandering through the human trail I venture deeper into the forest, hoping to find the well known Fate waterfall.

After thirty minutes of wandering, I come up short and sigh in disappointment. Oh well, maybe another time. Not spotting the setting Sun anymore, I turnaround and tread through the familiar path, hoping to reach home before being engulfed in the blackness of the night.

I find my thoughts flashing back to Gage, it almost feels like he's standing on the opposite side of the wall I have erected around my mind, thrashing it down with his indomitable power.

Why does Gage have such immense power over me? Why do I feel irrecoverably and unconditionally drawn to him? How does he always whisk me away to an alternative universe? Where, Gage and I are the only occupants of the universe- Gage.

Damn him for always worming his way into my conscience and leaving me perplexed with numerous unanswered questions!

Too soon, darkness sets in and I stumble through the dense greenery. The trekking path impossible to spot in the dark night, I walk in the general direction of the apartment.

Couldn't I have ventured out when it was a full moon?

Yes! Finally, a non-Gage question!

Ten minutes into the walk back home, I hear a vague rustling of leaves a few yards away.

With my heart kick-starting wildly against my ribs, I slowly turn my head and pray for whatever it is to either go away or be a cute little rabbit.

Not spotting anything from the lack of light, I continue walking, this time, moving my legs faster than before.

The rustling sounds closer now and I freeze in place, too scared to act. I look at the thick trees on my left from my peripheral vision, not wanting to stir in case it's a predator.

My eyes spot a single yellow, mini circle behind a huge pine tree. Blinking, I twist my head an inch toward the yellow hue, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me again.

Clearly seeing the lifeless yellow hue, I jot it down to a firefly. The only creatures I knew of which had yellow eyes were owls and cats, but this one only had one yellow sphere, making it impossible for it to be an animal. Besides, there were no wild yellow flowers on pine trees for that to be it too.

Concluding it to be a lone firefly, I whisper silently to it, "Hope you find your way back, Mr. Firefly."

Then as a after thought, I call out, "Or Ms. Firefly."

Waving, I resume speed walking but it soon turns to a full on sprint when I hear a low, terrifying growl behind me.

Screeching, I run through the trees, not caring about the sting from the branches cutting through my shirt and tearing my skin.

Lord, which animal growls? Dogs do. Is that a wild dog?

Oh man, was it too much to ask for a cute rabbit? Can't a girl catch a break?!

The growl gets louder and sounds closer. My heart thumps in rhythm with the thudding paws.

It sounds too loud and big to be a dog. Sweet mother of God, were there mountain lions in Fate City?

Should have checked all those before moving here, Kiera!

I almost trip over a fallen log chastising myself.

Okay, no time for self arguments. I need both my logical and panicked side to help me get out of this new mess.

Ah, Gage sounds like a way better ordeal to deal with than a wild beast.

The noise of crushing twigs and leaves behind me ceases and I twist my torso to confirm my earring. Seeing no barbaric animal, I breathe a sigh of relief.

Before I finish turning back all the way, a huge black mass jumps from the trees on my right and smacks into me. It's front claws dig into my shoulders and hind claws into my sneakers clad feet. The force of the impact sends me sailing through the air, coming to a halt only when my back collides with a tree, my head smashing against it with a sickening thud.

The creature retracts its long claws and jumps off me, pulling my mangled shoes off in the process. Blood immediately oozes out from my punctured shoulders and now barren feet. I look at the silhouette of a large, hulking creature but my blurry eyes are incapable of pinpointing the animal before me.

My vision gets hazy as I struggle to remain conscious. Black spots dance behind my eyelids, fighting for victory over my consciousness.

My head pounds, nailing down on my nervous system with the force of a jack hammer. I fold my hands over the back of my head, willing it to stop prickling pain throughout my nerve endings.

Groaning, I close my eyes against the burning sensation when my fingers come in contact with the bruised flesh.

A second later I feel an abrasive wetness on my punctured left shoulder. I snap my eyes open, more at the horrid smell than the slimy wetness. The smell of grease and rotting flesh nearly makes me gag and zips away all the fresh air of the woods, clotting my lungs with its foulness and choking me of desperately needed oxygen.

I blink several times to clear the haze surrounding my vision and lock eyes with one hollow yellow eye and another closed, scarred eye. The blankness in the single eye's depth snakes a chill down my spine, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on ends, while the claw like gash on its blind shut-eye slams horror into me with the force of a wrecking ball.

The beast- over six feet, stares down at me with a bone rattling wickedness. It's bulky mass- made to intimidate and send chilling fear towards anyone in its vicinity.

Swallowing past the dryness in my throat, I try to calm my racing heart and think of an idea to not end my life as dinner of the dangerous predator.

The darkness of the night and the blackness of the animal blend together with impeccable precision, preventing me from deciphering the type of animal in front of me. I could vaguely make out a wide snout but my sight is too clouded to confirm my muddled vision.

The creature drips its massive head, going for my feet and I squeeze my eyes shut tight, mentally preparing myself for the bite.

A rough abrasive slime darts across my feet and I snap open my eyes, my body's every motion functioning on autopilot. My saucer wide eyes lock on the animal's thick tongue scraping over my injured feet, licking away every drop of blood. It's razor sharp teeth catches the glint of the moonlight and I tremble staring at the long deadly canines that could easily tear off my limbs in less than a minute.

I open my mouth to scream, to raise alarm, to call out for help but no sound comes out of my lips as fear chokes my throat.

Sensing my fear, the predator lifts its head, saliva dripping from its mouth and onto my legs. It flashes it's sharp teeth in a menacing smile and edges closer. Its prowl sure and confident. Its eye promising death.

It's a predator stalking its prey.

My heart works overdrive and my stomach somersaults. Fear consumes my body, freezing me in place. It's haunting eye holds me captive, making it impossible for me to even dare to escape or even plan it.

Digging deep, I gather all the courage I can find inside my panic induced mind and drag my eyes away from its deadly eye, battling its pull with every cell in my body.

I'll be damned if I give up without fighting.

I desperately run my eyes over the land around me, praying for the moon to show itself from behind the clouds again and shed some light. Forcing my still hands to work, I trail them over the debris, touching mud and stones. Finding a palm sized rock I clutch in a death grip, opening my eyes wide to aim accurately.

As the creature takes another leisure step forward, I aim for its snout and hurl the rock with all the strength I can muster.

It makes contact with a loud thud, rattling my confidence, and falls to the ground instantly. The creature's head twists an inch to the side from the contact, before slowly leveling it's dangerous eye back on me.

The instant I lock my eyes on it, I know, I have signed my own death warrant.

Its eye turns a deep yellow, an aura of danger and rage emanating from the animal and hitting me like a ton of bricks.

It growls low and deep, flashing its deadly canines.

Instinct finally kicks in and I back track swiftly to the right. Putting all my energy into my hands and legs, I scramble backwards. Sharp stones and twigs bite into the flesh of my palms and feet, but I pay them no heed as my entire focus is on the hungry, crazed beast in front of me.

But, somehow, I take note of my conscience whispering in the back of my mind that the sting from those inanimate objects feels much better than the impending attack from the animal.

It takes a stance, ready to pounce.

I brace myself, ready to tackle it till my last breath.

Just when I think the hunting game has come to a stop, and that the predator is ready to claim the prey, I hear powerful, thundering growls from deep inside the forest.

The animal looks in the general direction of the sound and back at me and then back at the woods, almost as if making up its mind about what to take on first. The new entries or the sitting duck.

Looking back at me one last time, it stares hard and deep, piercing my soul with the promise of next time. Running its red tongue deliberately over its fang like front teeth, it prowls full speed into the woods.

My eyes only catching the tips of its black furry tail and scarred hind legs, before disappearing completely into the darkness of the night.

I sit stock-still, too afraid to move and almost expecting it to come back and finish the lethal hunt it started.

The predominant growls from before sound closer and my heart kicks into motion. Fear and the drive to survive pumping adrenaline throughout my body.

Jumping to my feet, I ignore the agony in my head and the gut-wrenching pain in my shoulders and feet, and run for my life.

Understanding tonight the real meaning behind the words- run like your life depends on it; because my life truly did.