Loch couldn’t safely pass. He was forced to skid to a stop. Holly kept her death grip on his middle even after the bike came to a clumsy halt.
“Are you all right?” he asked. He ripped the helmet off his head and tossed it aside.
Holly undid the fastenings of her own helmet with trembling fingers. “I don’t know how to answer that right now,” Holly stammered. Her heart beat so fast she feared it was going to explode.
“Are you hurt?” Loch asked again.
“I don’t think so. Are you?”
“No, but someone is about to be,” he snarled.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Holly warned him. “It’s not worth it.”
“They could’ve killed me. They could’ve killed you. They sure as shit owe me new tires.” Loch urged Holly to get off the bike.
When she stood on the asphalt, her legs trembled like a newborn deer’s. Loch didn’t seem to notice or even see her anymore. His dark gaze was fixed on the truck.
Johnny jumped out of the driver’s side. Keller came from the passenger side. Garret jumped out of the truck bed. Holly didn’t see him back there before. How could he be a part of something so reckless? She thought he was the rational one of the group. Apparently, the rational one didn’t exist.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Loch shouted.
“Have you? Do you have any idea what could’ve happened?” Johnny shouted back. Instead of answering, Loch drew his fist back, ready to punch.
Johnny dodged swiftly. Too swiftly.
Memories of last night returned to Holly. Johnny moved too swiftly through the forest last night, too.
Keller appeared at Loch’s side too quickly for a normal human as well. Loch wasn’t caught off guard. He whirled out of Keller’s grip just as quickly as Johnny dodged his blow. Holly’s blood ran cold.
Loch was one of them. She wasn’t sure what them entailed, but Loch hadn’t been truthful with her, either. She glanced at Loch’s bike. It was still running. For one brief, mad moment, she considered taking it, but she had no idea how to ride a motorcycle. She wouldn’t get more than ten feet before falling over. Instead, she did the next logical thing. She made a run for it.
Johnny’s truck blocked the road, but she could easily take a dip into the forest and skirt around it. They were busy fighting. Holly didn’t want to look. She didn’t want to see anything else she couldn’t explain.
She took off, darting into the trees close to the front of Johnny’s truck. She didn’t dare look back, but she didn’t hear the sounds of pursuit. The Silver Spruce sign seemed to beckon her. It made no sense—much like everything else in this town—but she felt like if she crossed the town line, all of the weirdness, stress, and confusion would stop. Just like that.
She was just a few steps away when a strong arm latched around her waist and lifted her off the ground.
“No!” she screamed. Twisting and writhing with everything she had, she fought against her captor. A reddish beard came into view. “Garret, you can’t do this to me! I want to leave! You have no right to stop me.”
“Holly.” His voice sounded pained. “I need you to believe I wouldn’t be doing this if I had a choice.”
“Of course, I don’t believe that!” she shrieked. “Something is wrong with you. All of you!” She couldn’t make her tongue form the words, but her mind was screaming the same thing over and over again—they weren’t human.
“I was trying to help you,” Loch said.
“No, you weren’t,” Johnny hissed, and Holly heard scuffling. They must’ve started fighting again. “You know what could happen if she leaves!”
“Nothing will happen to me if I leave!” Holly shouted. “What the hell are you talking about? You’re all insane!”
“Holly,” Keller’s voice was far gentler than any of the others had been so far. “This isn’t how any of us wanted this to go, I swear to you.”
“But you wanted something to go somewhere, that’s for damn sure.”
She gave up struggling against Garret. He was just too damn strong. It was like fighting with a sentient tree. There was no way she was going to break free unless she magically procured a chainsaw.
“We haven’t been upfront about everything,” Keller said.
“No shit!”
“Keller,” Garret interjected. “I don’t think this is the time or place.”
“There is no time or place for this,” Holly snapped. “Let me go, or I’ll call the police.”
“With what phone?” Loch said.
“Don’t speak to her,” Johnny snapped.
“And give me my phone,” Holly interjected.
“Not if you’re going to call the police,” Loch said.
“Scared they’re going to arrest you for something? I wouldn’t be surprised if you have a warrant out for your arrest.”
“Garret, please put me down. This is starting to hurt,” Holly pleaded. Garret did as she asked, but kept a hand on her arm, dashing any hopes of escape.
Oddly, Holly didn’t feel afraid. She felt annoyed and pissed off, yet she didn’t feel that prickle of danger. If they wanted to truly hurt her, they could’ve done it the numerous times she had walked through the house with her guard down, or they could’ve done something to her in her sleep.
“I think we should go back to the house,” Keller said calmly.
“I’m not going back into that damn house,” Holly snapped. “I’m leaving, first chance I get.”
“I’ll make you a deal,” Keller said, moving in
