Run!

“Stay with me and I’ll make you mine,” the stranger said.

“Really?” Bella’s face brightened.

“Yes.” The stranger smiled. “Come, let me take you home.” The stranger held out his hand for her and she was about taking his hand when she heard a distant voice calling her name.

“Bella!” The voice called and she could feel herself moving away slowly from the stranger by a force she couldn’t seem to explain.

“Nooo!” Bella cried as she tried running to the stranger whose hand was still stretched out to her, but no matter how fast she ran, the stranger seem to be getting farther and farther away from her and she continued to run till everywhere became dark_ almost nothing.

“BELLA!” Carl yelled angrily and banged the door to her room furiously.

Bella flung her eyes open and groaned. She glanced at Chloe who was still sleeping peacefully on the bed. She had decided to sleep with Bella after the incident that took place at the bar.

She tapped Chloe, urging her to wake up but instead, Chloe turned to her other side and mumbled something inaudible which made Bella hiss aloud as she used her feet to kick Chloe again but she didn’t budge.

“BELLA”

Bella heard the voice more clearly now and instantly, she knew it was Carl.

“What’s with him this morning? I was having a peaceful and lovely sleep not until he ruined it for me. If they won’t allow me find love in real life, can’t they allow me have it in my dreams at least? I don’t want to be single my whole life.” Bella murmured as she walked towards the door and flung it open.

She was surprised to see how angry Carl was and with the kind of expression he put on his face could tell something was urgent.

“I’ve been calling you for over five minutes now and you’re just responding?” Carl shot at her.

“What? What do you want?” Bella shot back at him.

“Didn’t you hear the noise coming from Dylan’s room?” he asked with a look of worry.

“No? Are they having a situation? Isn’t yesterday’s situation enough for them?” Bella hissed.

“Aargh,” Carl groaned. “You know, I find you annoying sometimes. Just pack your things and get your ass out here.”

“Fine.” Bella rolled her eyes at him and went back into the room to grab her belongings.

“Wake up Chloe.” Bella tapped her on the butt this time, but painfully.

“Ouch! That hurts.” Chloe groaned as she sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes.

“Our time is up in the room already. Grab your things and let’s go meet Jane and Dylan now. Carl is waiting outside.”

“Okay,” Chloe groaned and picked her clothes from the bed before dipping it into the bag.

As soon as they were through, they walked out of the room and headed towards Dylan’s room. They were getting closer to the room when they sighted the hotel attendant, about to close the door and holding a tag.

“Wait, wait!” Carl yelled and immediately rushed to her.

“My friend is st…” He was about to complete his sentence when he sighted some traces of blood in the room, with Dylan and Jane nowhere in sight.

Bella and Chloe caught up with him and they both let out a gasp at the same time when they saw the condition of the room.

“Where are my friends?” Carl asked, almost yelling.

“The cops were here and they took one of your friends_ a male.” The lady answered.

“The cops?” Bella blurted out.

“But they are two. What about the second one?” Carl asked, not wanting to believe what he was thinking.

“Well, uhm… he… he must have done that…” she pointed to the blood on the floor.

“Don’t even think about it.” Carl snapped at her.

“My friend would never do anything of such. Where is he?” Carl questioned her again.

“The cops took him away just now and th…” She stopped talking when she saw that the people she was talking to had disappeared from her sight in a flash of seconds.

She breathed out in relief and held her chest.

“Thank Goodness they’re gone. A friend of a murderer is also a murderer. Who knows what they would have done to me. I pity the fate of that lady. She wouldn’t have ended like this if she were decent.” She shook her head in pity.

“Well, I won’t let that ruin my mood. This is not the first time we’ve witnessed something like this here. Shit happens every time,” she muttered and locked the door to the room, putting a tag on it where ‘RESTRICTED’ was boldly written on it. When she was done, she walked away with a smile on her face.

*

Carl ran as fast as he could to get out of the hotel, not bothering to look back at Chloe and Bella who were still behind.

He knew he had to leave since the hotel attendant didn’t have anything meaningful to say.

“How could she think that his friend did that? Dylan would never hurt anyone, most especially Jane” Carl thought in his head as he got out of the hotel building and into the crowds of bodies that were already gathered outside.

He squeezed himself in, hitting bodies after bodies till he finally got to have a clear view of the situation at the front.

His eyes widened immediately he caught a glimpse of Dylan who sat at the back seat of the van before someone shut the door closed and the car started to move.

“No! DYLAN!” Carl yelled as he ran after the van but the van sped off, leaving Carl in the middle of the road.

Carl stopped chasing after the van and fell to his feet. He used his hand to brush his hair back in frustration.

“What is happening?” he muttered under his breath as his heart began to thud.

Bella and Chloe soon caught up with him and they both stood there in confusion, trying to fathom everything that happened.

After few moments, Bella brought out her phone and dialed Dylan’s mom.

“Mrs. Emily?” Bella spoke first.

“Yes, please?” Emily responded.

“Bella speaking,” her breath shook.

“I know that…”

“Dylan just got arrested for murder.” Bella tried hard not to cry as she spoke.

“WHAT?” Emily screamed.