I could only stare.

The horror

Lola, as I guess she was called, picked up my backpack like a disgusting dead animal and held it arm's length away from her self. She reached out two long manicured fingers and delicately pulled the zipper. Then she turned it upside down, as my clothes and things fell to the floor. I sucked in a scream…this was the girlfriend of a murderer. If he killed, no doubt she would as well. If she found me…I was done for. I felt my hand stroking the corner of blankie I had saved. But wait! I was brave…I was tough…oh who I am kidding? I'm sure even Zack would be scared stiff right now. Sweat formed on my forehead as she searched the backpack, and silently thanked myself for putting my wallet in my pocket.

"Damn, there's no money in here. Just some kid's shit." She shook her head and started to walk away. I sighed silently in relief…too soon. The woman turned back and started to look around. She locked her gaze near the crate where I was hiding. I swear she could hear my heart beating. The look on her face said 'If there's a bunch of crap here that wasn't here before, there must be someone around here that saw us.' The woman flipped open a small gray cell phone and rapidly dialed a number.

"Andrew? Yeah, I think we have a problem." Pause "Ok good job, as long as you get rid of it. And hurry and get your ass back here. I think we have a real bad problem" Pause "No, I think there was someone who saw your little fiasco, and that I was connected with it all." Pause "No, I don't think anything dangerous. Just a kid I think, but you can never be too sure of the danger. Witnesses are witnesses in court." Pause "Yeah, I'll will. But Andrew… we can't kill a kid if it is one." I could detect a sort of sadness in her voice. "I don't think that I could bear it after…" she heaved a huge sigh as if forcing away tears while paused. "Ok, I'll hold it." She closed the phone and held it close to her for a second, then turned again where I was hiding.

I tried to run. I really did try. Maybe if I had run, I might have escaped. That woman didn't seem eager to kill me after her conversation on the phone. Every inch of me said, "RUN! GET AWAY!" But fear had frozen me into a limbo state. My back was soaked in sweat my heart was beating so fast, I'm sure it skipped a few beats. This could be the end of me…I could die right here. Now, for the first time since I had left the Tipton I could see the truth in the voice that had been speaking to me since I made my resolution. Sure, maybe I wasn't loved, but it was better to live unloved then not live at all…was it? What about Mom? I'm sure she would miss me. I hadn't really put much thought to what Mom would think about my little escapade. As much as everyone hated me, I knew Mom loved me. No matter what. If I died, who would tell her I still loved her? I silently made a vow, that if I died, I would return to the Tipton, no matter the pain of being unloved by Zack, Max, and everyone else in school.

The woman took my arm and lifted me up. She didn't say a word; she just took out a gun with her other hand and held it to my head. I closed my eyes and prayed that I would live. "Please don't kill me. I didn't see anything. Please let me live. Don't kill me…don't let…I don't want to die. Please. Please." My words were broken and whispered, mixed with the heaving you get when you cry really hard for a long time. I could feel my life dangling from the end of her long fingers and held at the tip of that shotgun. "Please" I repeated. "My mother will miss me. No one else will, but she will. I need to get back to her. I wont tell anyone I ever met you please."

I felt myself fall to the ground. I curled into a ball, shaking uncontrollably. The tips of my shoulder length blonde hair stuck to my face, but I could still feel the cold metal touching my neck, though it's hold was less firm now. I looked up at the woman and her eyes were drained and sad. And I caught a glimpse of tears in her eyes. She was shaking almost as hard as me now. From the look in her eyes, something was wrong. She probably wouldn't have done anything if I had run off right there. She would have let me go right then. But then, I had to be cursed with a kind and good nature. If I had been smarter I would have run then, and gotten away. But I was too caring. I couldn't bear to see a woman cry like that.

"Hey- what's w…wrong? I said standing on the tips of my toes so I could look into her eyes.

"Nothing! Noth-" She cut short, and crouched on the ground, her bare knees crushing into the dirt. I felt a little uncomfortable next to her in that short little dress, and with a gun in her hand. Actually I was still shaking myself, so it was hard to look her straight in the eye. I stayed. I don't know why, but I sat with her. "My son…I had a son. He was blonde like you and he-" she was cut short by a gunshot.

"Lola! What the hell are you doing? I thought I told you to shoot that God damned son of a bitch!" He took out the gun he had used to shoot the man whose blood still stained the alley and aimed it at me. I knew I should have run, and not stayed. I cowered down behind the woman and covered my head with my hands like I used to when Zack would take me to watch scary movies. This was more then a scary movie though. This was real life, and I was going to die.

Zack's POV

Fire was in every direction. But they weren't around me; they were closing in on Cody who stood alone in an alleyway, curled in a ball whimpering. I called out to Cody,

"Cody! I'll get you out! Just stand up! Don't be afraid!" I could feel fear pushing at my heart for my brother. I couldn't stand there and let him die. Then, a short figure in a baseball cap pulled over its head appeared and began blowing at the fire. The fire disappeared more with each breath but the figure seemed to get weaker, like it was killing itself saving Cody. I looked at Cody who was standing with a strange girl I had never seen before in his arms. They both seemed happy, until they saw the baseball cap person. On it's hands and knees now; it turned to look at me. Slowly it fell, to the ground unmoving and the baseball cap tumbled off. I could see a glimpse of it's face, but I wanted to know who it was. I ran over to it and started to turn it over.

"Zack! Cody!" Mom calling me interrupted my dream before I could see who had saved Cody. I turned threw the covers off and stood at the side of my bed. It was unusual that Cody wasn't talking. He usually would have made a comment about my bad breath or that I needed to make my bed.

"Yo Code, you up or what?" I turned to look at his bed, but then stared in horror. Cody was gone. Maybe he's in the bathroom, or already up? But if Mom knew Cody was up, she would have just called me. Or wouldn't he have woken me up as well? Though I wanted to think he was just in the bathroom, or around somewhere, my sub-conscious mind reminded me of Cody's strange behavior the night before. Cody was gone.

A/N: So how was that? I'm writing alot and updating fast becasue I have a lot on my mind for this story. I wanted to write more, but I know from personal experience that some readers don't like to read REALLY long things anymore then short ones. I'll post the other one really soon though, before I forget what I have on my mind now. If you are trying to keep up with my story, put me on your alerts list because of my frequent updating my story may be at the top a little too much. ANYway...if you have any ideas or questions, message me (don't wanna spoil the story for everyone else ;) ) And have nice day :)