Well! Thank you for the WONDERFUL reviews!!! I got 6 reviews!!! he he!!! Here's the next chapter...tricked yah, didn't I? hehe!

~*~Ashley~*~

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Chapter 9

It didn't seem right. Anthony…gone? This had to be a dream. Any minute she'd wake up and he'd be right there, just like always. He wouldn't do it because…because I said that to him…would he? She asked herself. She had been sent home after she collapsed in the hallway. She could not bring herself to say it, that he was gone. The body is still missing. She told herself. There's still a chance… But she knew the chances of that were a bazillion to one, She concluded. It seemed too perfect, too planned. She gets the note from the one who wants her dead, saying that she had to get rid of Anthony, and then the next day he conveniently kills himself? I didn't push him away sooner, I should have as soon as I sensed he was in danger…if I did, hell, if I did he would probably still be here. She elapsed into a fit of tears again. She was glad her dad wasn't home, if he was he would probably be worried sick about her. She almost didn't hear the phone ring. Suddenly, her tears stopped and she picked up the receiver. "H-h-hello?" she said dreamily. She wasn't here. She was in some other far away place, where the pain was drifting. There was no answer. "Is anyone there?" she heard a breath on the other end. Who the hell was it? "I'm hanging up." She said into the phone. "He's not dead." Said a voice that most definitely was being disguised under a voice changer. Like in the scream movies. That brought her back to earth. "What? Who is this?" she said frantically. She hoped to god this wasn't a joke, if it was…well, she was willing to risk anything to get back Anthony. "It's just what they want you to think. The clues are all there, you've just got to look a little harder." "Please, tell me, who are you? Where is Anthony? If he's not dead, then where the hell is he!" She screamed into the phone. "A friend." And she heard the soft click as they hung up the phone. "Nooo!" she slammed the phone down in frustration. Whoever it was wanted her to find Anthony, but they wouldn't tell her who they were. Maybe they worked for whoever was chasing her? I've got to call Yana. She thought. But she was too tired. It wasn't even five and she was so tired. She flopped down on her bed and fell into a deep, deep sleep. She dreamed she was back at the hotel. But this time, she was in the bathroom, like Yana. She could hear somebody in the next room struggling with another person. "Can anyone hear me?!" she screamed. But her words seemed to fall from her mouth and drop to the floor. "NO! You leave Rae ALONE! DO YOU HEAR ME YOU FRICKIN BASTARDS??? You can kill me if you want, but DO NOT LAY ONE FINGER ON RAE!!!" this was followed by a yelp of pain. It was Anthony! "Anthony!" she screamed. "Oh dear God, please, no! NOOO!!!" He screamed in agony. Somebody was hurting him. She pounded on the bathroom door, "Let me out! Leave him alone! You want me, not him! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" but the screaming in the next room continued. Then they suddenly stopped. Somebody started to laugh. An insane, mechanical laugh. Rae stepped back, horrified at the sound. She kept stepping back until she bumped against a solid brick wall. The bathroom melted away, and she was in a small, brick room. A bright red door with a silver handle was at the front of the room. The laughter continued, growing louder and louder. The handle of the door started to twist. She screamed and screamed, she didn't know what was behind that door, all she knew was that it was horrible, terrible, it was what killed Anthony and she knew it. She begged and begged whoever, whatever it was not to open the door, but the laughter just got louder. She woke up in a sweat the next morning. She had slept a long time. She stared in a daze at the clock. It was ten in the morning. Rae nearly fell out of bed in the hurry to get on her clothes. Then she remembered, duh. It was an in-service day at her school. That's when all the teachers have a day long meeting about the school, but no students. She had the day off. She was going to find him. Even if it killed her, she was going to find him. "Let me out!" Called Anthony in a drugged slur. Finally, the gag was off. It had taken him long enough to slide it off. "I want…get me out!" His mind was fuzzy, like after a pot buzz. He remembered being shoved to the ground, tied, and put into something…a truck? Car? He couldn't remember how they had drugged him. A needle maybe? Hard to remember. "WHERE AM I???" He had woken up only an hour ago, to find himself in total and complete darkness. He was all tied up, and a loose gag covering his mouth. It has something to do with Rae, I know it does. He thought. Maybe she was here…maybe tied up too. He called for her, trying to form the sounds in his mouth but failing. What came out sounded like he was yelling, "Ryeeeee!" He was tired, every time he tried to pick himself up off the cold cement floor, he fell back down in agony. "Where is Rae?" He screamed again, "What the hell did you do to her you friggin bastards?" I bet I could get these damn ropes off if I tried hard enough. He thought. But suddenly, a wild, ear piercing laughter filled the halls. He could almost put a face to the sound…but his mind was fogged over with the drugs. "Don't tell me you haven't figured it out, Anthony! She's dead!" This time, the voice was disguised. Somebody had one of those things that changed your voice, like in the "Scream" movies. In fact, it sounded exactly like the killer in the movies. Anthony almost laughed, but then yelled again, "LIAR!" he howled. She couldn't be dead…but where was she? Was she here with him, wherever HERE is? "Don't want to accept it, Anthony? Do you feel guilty that you weren't there to protect you're little Rae of sunshine?" The mechanical laughter filled the room again. "Shut up shut up! I don't believe you!" He felt like crying…the thought of not seeing her everyday…even though she said those horrible things to him, he still didn't want her to be dead. "Or maybe you're happy…she used you, she used you to protect herself…and when she didn't need you anymore…" "SHUT THE HELL UP!" "Ah. I see…" the sentence hung in the air. A sharp pain pricked his side. Another needle. His last thought before he passed out again was I wish it wasn't so damn dark.

If only Rae knew how close he really was.