Brightest Kind of Darkness by P. T. Michelle, Patrice Michelle

was less than two feet away.
    I clamped my lips shut and forced air out through my nose. My chest hurt from the effort to remain quiet.
    “Wanna know how I found out it was you?”
    He sounded so close and…gleeful, like he was enjoying hunting me. Grabbing the rough bark behind me, I bit my lip to keep my whimper locked inside. My pulse spiked, but I tried to keep it together, so I could react when I needed to.
    “Lila called, ranting that I had nerve sending her flowers. When I told her I didn’t send them, she said ‘the real snitch’ must’ve sent them, because nobody at school cared and her family thought flowers were a waste of money. Dork-boy at the florist held out forever. I had to scrounge up fifty bucks before he gave me your name.”
    Lila called the guy who beat her up? I wanted to scream at the idiotic girl. I’d written a check for the flowers. A check, which had my name on it. I squeezed my eyes shut, cursing my own stupidity.
    “But what’s been bugging me all this time.” The crunch of the leaves was almost on top of me.
    My heart pounded, making me lightheaded. I could hear his heavy breathing. I slowly lifted my foot and set it down on the other side of a bulging root, then slid myself slightly around the tree and away from the direction of his voice.
    “And what’s been driving us nuts...” he continued.
    The silence that followed freaked me out more than the noise of his steps closing in. I inched further away from where I’d last heard his voice, praying I could stay out of his line of sight.
    A blur crowded my vision as he came around the side of the tree and slammed his hands against the bark, blocking me in. “How did you know about the bomb?” Kurt snarled.
    I was so shocked he’d caught me, a small scream escaped, but I knew that if I let him grab me, I’d end up like Lila…or worse.
    Jerking my leg up, I nailed him in the groin as if I were aiming for a goal three soccer fields away.
    As soon as he stumbled back and grabbed his crotch, I turned to run. Tripping over more tree roots, I stumbled, then took off in the direction of the soccer field.
    Kurt staggered after me, coughing hard. “Stupid whore,” he groaned, then howled, “Jay, she went this way!”
    It took all of my willpower not to scream hysterically, but I knew I needed my lungs for running. I ran in terrified silence, ducking past tree branches, jumping over logs, zig-zagging around trees, doing my best to make it hard to track me. The darkness cloaked my movements, but also forced me to slow down temporarily when a tree branch sent slicing pain along my cheek. My legs trembled and my lungs burned, but I plunged onward.
    As soon as I dodged around a big oak tree, I’d never been happier to see the soccer field lights through the tops of the trees.
    A surge of energy jolted through my system, and my feet hammered the ground as I jumped onto the walking path and pushed even harder. I just needed to get to my bag, grab my keys and cell and run to my car. I sent a silent prayer that I could do all those things before the guys caught up with me.
    When the edge of the forest came into view, I swallowed a sob. Safety. Soon.
    Startled birds scattered out of the trees, flying away in a rush of flapping wings. Their panicked flight heightened my own, and I dug my feet into the underbrush, giving my shaking legs everything I had.
    Almost there.
    The moment I cleared the woods, someone grabbed my arm and whipped me around.
    “No!” I screamed and struck out, hammering his chest with my fist. I didn’t make it this far to give up with out a fight. I kicked at his shin, then I swung my other fist. Anything to be free.
    He easily deflected my punch and yanked me toward him, folding his arms around mine in a vise-hold.
    Panting, I struggled and looked for a place to bite.
    “Nara, it’s me!” he gritted out, just as was about to sink my teeth deep.
    When Ethan’s voice penetrated my mind, the fight drained out of me.