The Forgotten City

Chapter 5

WARNING: ADULT CONTENT IN THIS CHAPTER

After everyone had finishes at the cafe, Ian, Tiffany, Jason and I all head out to the small library we had seen earlier. As we walk, Jason maintains his possessive hand on my hip; it is so tight I'm afraid I may have a bruise. I also realize that he is storing me as far away from Ian as possible, with me on the end and Jason next to Tiffany and Ian on the other side. I normally might think his possessive nature is appealing in a kind of cave man way, but today it just makes her bitter.

Why can't I have a protective guy like Ian, with his charming and sexy smile, and his easy manner? Why didn't he find me first? I am convinced he would never cheat on me. The looks he continues hurling at Jason every time he happens to be in the vicinity of another girl proves that. His gentle attentions create feelings that have long remained dormant.

The library is a single story building with rows and rows of books. I'm unsure how they all physically fit into the building. It doesn't make any sense to me. But I don't have time to figure out this weird phenomenon.

Ian swaggers up to the old librarian behind her desk; she stands up to all those old stereotypes. She has grey hair in a tight- knit bun at the base of her neck; bifocals perch precariously on the end of her nose; her lips are caked with cracked lipstick as she smiles up at us.

"How can I help you today?" she asks.

"We were just wonderin' if there was a section on the history of this town," Ian drawls with a big smile.

The librarian chuckles softly, "Follow me," she answers.

The little old librarian ushers us to a cozy nook packed with stuffed chairs an a couple couches, and racks full with old newspapers.

"All the information you need is right here. If you need anything else, feel free to come get me," she murmurs as she shuffles her feet back to her desk.

I grab a newspaper and stroll over to the couch and plop down in the middle.

Ian saunters up and slides in beside me. He whispers in my ear "We need to talk."

I only nod my head.

Jason came and sat on my other side and opens up his paper.

I open up my paper dated ten years ago and notice the headline. "TWENTY DISAPPEAR WITHOUT A TRACE INTO THE GHOST FOG." My heart almost stops.

"Hey, Ian. Look at this!" I whisper.

Ian took the paper and begins to read the article out loud.

" Over the past month, men, women and children have all been disappearing from the sleepy little town of Forgotten City. Once it was a strong, bustling community, now only home to a couple hundred families.

"Officials have yet to find the missing. All they can say is that there has been a dark fog left behind at each abduction. They cannot say convulsively that the fog has anything to do with it. Locals are now calling it "Ghost Fog." But officials have yet to determine if it is in fact the fog or some elaborate hoax by a kidnapper..."

"The paper goes on for a bit more and over to A7 to finish the artcle," concludes Ian.

"Those poor people," Tiff sighs. "I wonder what happened to them."

"Me too," I whisper.

Ian grasps my hand without thinking about it and places a kiss on the back. "We're gonna be okay, Ali. I promise," he breathes to me in my ear.

Before I can respond, Jason seizes my hand back and growls "Ali is mine! Not yours! You need to keep your hands off what belongs to me!"

"Sorry, man. No hard feelin's," Ian holds his hands up in surrender, searching into my eyes. "I think we are done here. Why don't we all head back to see if they ever fixed the bus?"

I want to express something to Ian. To tell him... But I've run out of time.

Jason nods in agreement, rising and yanking me to him. He pulls me to his body in a vice grip. I try to shove him away, but his arms tighten as he places a bruising kiss on my lips. I can't escape. When he finishes making his point clear, he drags me behind him as he marches me all the way back to the motel.

By the time we make it back, Jason appears to calm down again.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to hurt you," he says as he slides his arms around me. He places his lips next to my ear and kissed my skin. "It's just you are mine, and I care about you. I don't want Ian to think he has a chance with you. He doesn't deserve you," he manages remorsefully, while kissing my jaw.

My brain fogs over in hormones and tingles running up and down my body, which is my only excuse for what happens next.

"I forgive you," I whisper and start kissing him back.

Jason took this as a sign of encouragement and shoves my body hard up against the wall and starts kissing me passionately, rubbing his body up against mine.

"I want you now," he pants against my skin. "Come up to the room with me."

Before my brain could even register what he's suggesting or come up with a response, he gathers me up in his arms and sprints upstairs. Some how he manages to open the door to the room and throws me onto a his queen size bed; and places himself between my legs and began kissing me with renewed vigor.

Very slowly reason comes back to me as I register the situation, I stop kissing him and attempt to shove him off of me.

"Stop," I gasp. "Jason, you need to stop!"

Jason places his hungry mouth on my chest and mumbles "I need you now, baby."

With his right hand, he slips it under my shirt and up my back to unclasp my bra, then brought it back around to squeeze my breast.

"NO! Jason, STOP!" I shout, as I seek to wiggle free of him.

But he keeps grinding his body hard against me. "Oh, baby, you feel so good," he moans.

"Please! Please stop! I can't..." I choke on my panic; tears streamed down my red face as Jason shoved his hand down my waist band. I don't think I can handle being raped.

"I know you want me, baby. I can feel you," Jason reaches for his zipper, and just as it is sliding down, the door behind us crashes open, and Ian steps up to the bed. His face full of barely controlled rage. His arms taught at his sides with clenched fists, and stares down at Jason. He looks over at me and his expression softens, but I couldn't look at him in my shame.

Ian's voice comes out tight. "The mechanic has been working on the bus all day and he still hasn't figured out what's wrong with it. Everyone is hungry and gathering downstairs as we speak. We are all going back over to the diner. You need to get up and come with us."

"I'm busy right now, we'll be there in a minute. This won't take long," growls Jason in response. Jason clutches my breasts possessively and continues to grind against me.

I whimper and my body shakes as I struggle to get away from Jason, but I am trapped.

Suddenly Jason's body is flying backwards into a wall, and Ian gently pulls me into his arms. He helps me to readjust my clothes. "Hey, are you okay, sweetheart?"

I can't trust myself with words, so I bury my face into his shoulder, as wracking sobs fill my body.

I don't turn to look as the door slam behind us. I just wrap my arms around Ian's form, like he was the only thing keeping me grounded.

Ian lays his head on mine and rubs my back softly and let me cry.

"Shh, it's okay Ali. I won't let him hurt you anymore," he whispers into my hair.

"Ian..." is all I manage to say.

"Alison, break up with Jason. Let me show you how a guy is supposed to treat a girl. I would never go sneakin' around with ever female I laid my eyes on. In fact, since I've met you, I haven't wanted another girl the way I want you. Be mine," he begs.

I look up into his eyes and feel his heart felt plea; my heart broke free.

"Yes."

Ian sighs in relief and leans into me to place a chaste kiss on my mouth.