CHAPTER 4

She was floating somewhere in her mid consciousness. Halfway between the state of unconsciousness and the waking. She didn't want to wake up. Didn't want to have to face whatever would be waiting for her when she opened her eyes.

Something collided forcefully with her stomach causing her to lurch out of her hazed mind. A groan of pain fell from her lips and she clutched her mid section.

"Get up, bitch." Ethan's unwelcome voice reached her ears causing her to cringe.

Kate opened her eyes and looked around. She wasn't in whatever building she'd been in anymore. They were in the jungle now. It was so dark she could hardly see anything but the outline of trees and Ethan's form towering over her. It was drizzling slightly and she could feel the goopy mud sloshing against her clothes.

Shakily she rose to her feet and leaned back against a tree and looked over at Ethan. He was looking at her with disgust written clearly across his face.

"Are you going to kill me or not?" She asked bravely trying to sound like she couldn't care one way or the other. Inside she was trying not to wince from the pain coming from her head and her stomach hurt painfully.

"No. Not yet that is. We're going to play a little game first. Not far from here is where some of your friends' search party made camp." Ethan paused for a moment and Kate's eyes fixated on him.

So they've been looking for me after all. I wonder if he came with them. Yeah right Kate he's probably still back on the beach, in his tent sleeping peacefully right now. Like he's really going to come all the way out here just to try and save you. He could care less what happens to you.

"Don't look so hopeful." He sneered as a look of relief came on her face when he mentioned the others. "You're not exactly back there yet cozying up by the fire. You don't think I'm just going to let you go back there out of the goodness of my heart, do you?"

"The thought hadn't even crossed my mind. But if it's not that then why the hell did you bring me out here? Hopefully not to just rub in my face how close help, that I won't be getting, is."

"Not exactly. What we're going to do is this. We're going to play a little game. It's called Hide and Seek. I'm going to count to forty while you get a head start. It's pretty simple. If you make it to where your friends are before I find you, you can go back with them. It's as simple as that."

"As simple as that? Are you kidding me? I don't even know what direction their camp is in."

"That's your problem. Because if you don't find the camp before I catch up to you I've been given permission to finish you off." A malicious glint entered his eyes. "Who knows? I might even display your body to the rest of them when I'm done with you."

Kate's breath stopped and the blood drained from her face. He has to be joking. She thought to herself. He's not really going to kill me. But the look on his face did nothing to make her thoughts reassure her.

Shaking her head slowly she moved sideways till the tree she'd been leaning against was no longer behind her. Ethan watched her closely as she moved.

"One, two, three….."

Ethan's counting slowly registered in her mind and a terrified look came into her eyes. Turning she plunged into the jungle; his voice slowly counting the number's echoing in her mind.

"Shit." He muttered to himself as he looked angrily around him.

All he'd gotten up to do was to take a quick piss. So he'd gone a little bit away from the camp to do it in private. And now he couldn't remember how the hell to get back. He'd been wandering around for at least a half an hour now and he wasn't even sure if he was closer or farther to getting back then he was before. Knowing his luck though he'd probably be farther.

He knew he shouldn't have gone off into the jungle with his brain still half fogged with sleep and thoughts of her. She'd been in his dreams tonight. Plaguing him so much he hadn't been thinking straight when he'd awakened. So he hadn't listened to what his brain had told him and now look where he was.

Sawyer glared around him at the outline of the trees as if it were their fault. If it wasn't bad enough he was lost it had also started raining softly after he'd left and then it had turned into one of those damn jungle storms pouring bucket after bucket full of water down on him.

I'll probably be getting some kind of damn fever after all this. Damn forest. Damn girl. Damn rain. Damn everything. Picking a tree he sat down and got under it. Might as well wait the rain out. Or wait till morning. Whichever comes first. Maybe then I'll finally be able to find my way back.

She slipped over something and fell heavily to the ground. A cry of pain escaped her lips and she pushed herself back up. Her breathing came from her lips in ragged puffs and every breath caused her to wince in pain.

It was way pass forty seconds. He had already started after her she knew. She could almost feel him behind every tree watching her struggle blindly through the dark jungle. Trying futilely to get away. She wouldn't just let him win though. She wasn't going to die without a fight. Rain pounded down on her running into her eyes. Her clothes were sticking to her and her hair hung limp and wet in her face.

Her foot slipped again and she almost went down before she grabbed a branch and righted herself. She could almost hear his footsteps behind her. Approaching faster and faster. Fear winded itself tightly around her heart. Tighter and tighter.

Her hand slipped on a branch she'd been holding out of her way and it flicked back; whacking her against the chest. She gasped at the throbbing that joined her growing list of pains. And the fear was still there. Stronger than ever. Continuing to grow.

Her foot caught on a root and she was going down again. But this time was different. An awful crunching sound reached her ears. Something was wrong with her foot. Looking down she shook her head in denial. This couldn't be happening. Not right now.

She slowly got back to her feet, but the pain in her ankle had her back down on her knees. Oh God I can't go anywhere. I'm stuck here waiting for him to find me. I'm going to die.

She felt sick to her stomach as she slowly pushed herself back up against a tree. This was all wrong. All of it. Terror gripped her body as she sat there in the pouring rain awaiting her death.

"One." She started forcing the words out through her numb lips. "Two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." It wasn't working this time. She bawled her hands into fists; the nails pinching into her skin. "Damn you, Jack, this isn't working." She yelled.

"Hmm there you are." Her head snapped up to see Ethan staring down at her. "I was wondering where you'd gotten too. Guess I win this game. Now let's see I should probably make this as gruesome as possible. All the more fun when I deliver your body to everyone."

Her body shook uncontrollably. "Help me." Kate screamed loudly.

"Help me."

Sawyer's head snapped up and he was on instant alert. He could swear that he had just heard Kate's voice. Screaming for help no less. Getting quickly to his feet he headed off in the direction he'd heard it coming from without a second thought.

Don't start getting all excited, Sawyer. It's probably nothing. Your mind is probably just playin tricks on you.

Another scream pierced through the air. This one a cry of pain. Unbidden anger coursed through his body. What was happening to her? He continued the way he had been going and the rain beating down on him did nothing to deter him. He was angry and right now anything would have a hard time stopping him.

The pain was excruciating. She couldn't tell her injuries apart at all. They just ran together in one big mass of pain. Her eyes were clenched shut. She was desperate not to let any tears of pain leak from her eyes. Even if Ethan wouldn't be able to tell them apart from the rain water that ran down her face she refused to be weak.

Ethan grabbed her hair roughly and yanked on it pulling her head back. She felt something cool and flat slide over her exposed neck and jerked backwards away from it. Her head collided with Ethan's legs.

"Quit squirming." He hissed. "You aren't going anywhere so just sit still. I'm trying to decide whether I should just finish you off or do it so that I can watch you bleed to death." He laughed mirthlessly. "What do you think?"

Bang! The loud sound that almost sounded like a gunshot to her startled both her and Ethan. The knife slid over her neck slightly before it dropped down onto the ground. Kate could feel Ethan backing up slowly and she quickly grabbed the knife and scooted away from him. When she looked back Ethan had turned around. He was clutching his shoulder and staring at something.

Following his gaze Kate's eyes found Sawyer. He was standing in the rain with his gun pointed straight at Ethan. His eyes, obscured slightly by his dripping wet hair, were focused on Ethan.

"I think you better get away from her before I kill you." Sawyer's voice was deathly.

"You?" Ethan asked disbelievingly. "You're the one who came to save her? I figured it'd be the doctor. Always thought he had a thing for her. But you?" Ethan seemed almost amused. "This I did not see coming."

"Shut up asshole." Sawyer growled. "Or I might just have to shoot you."

"Oh, I'm not worried about that. You won't kill me. Though you'll wish you had later. Because I won't ever stop coming after her. Just when you think you're safe I'll be back again to take her away. One of these days she will die. And you'll be there to……"

Ethan's words were cut off as the gun rang out. Once, twice, three, four times. Ethan fell to the ground gasping for air. Kate watched as he took his last breaths before going still.

When she looked back at Sawyer he was still standing still in the rain looking down at Ethan's still body. "What," She started, barely able to get the words out, "the hell took you so long asshole?"

Then she was lying still on the ground as well and darkness was surrounding her again.