This is my FIRST update today. My e-mail isn't working again, so I'll have to do shout-outs in the chapter after this one. We're almost done with this take! And if some of you think I'm moving too fast...well...it's intentional. Maybe you might think it ends too...easy, but it's also intentional. I'm getting you guys ready for the sequel. :) See you the next update! :D
Astrid stopped dead in any movement she could have been doing. The car that hit Hiccup. Maybe this would lead to an answer, somehow.
"What do we do?" Astrid whispered for no reason at all. She didn't know why she felt a sudden urge to whisper everything she spoke out loud. "Do you think the driver's nearby?"
"There's only one way to find out," said Hiccup, and started walking across the street, towards the house.
"Hiccup!" Astrid said in a harsh whisper, running after him after little hesitation. Hiccup didn't even turn around to look at her. "What are you thinking?"
"I need answers," said Hiccup. "And this is the only way to get them."
"Could we call the police?" said Astrid.
"If that's what it comes to," said Hiccup. "But we don't even know if the guy's here."
She followed him slowly down the alleyway next to the house, looking for something or someone. They turned around slowly, examining their surroundings.
"I don't see anything," Hiccup whispered.
Before Astrid could reply, something grabbed her. She tried to scream, but couldn't; something was covering her mouth, making sure any form of communication was impossible. Then, she was dragged backwards and into the back door of the house.
"We should probably head...Astrid?" said Hiccup, turning around and realizing she wasn't there. "Astrid!" he shouted. "Astrid where are you!?"
He spun around, but saw nothing. She was gone; vanished, as if into thin air. No. That wasn't possible. People just didn't vanish like that. She must have been somewhere in the house.
Mind made up, Hiccup ran to the front of the house. The wood was decaying; he knew it wouldn't take much to break part of it down. Since he didn't know where a door was, and didn't have time to look for one, he stepped back, and then ran straight into the wall. The wood cracked; nothing else happened.
He did it again; ran, cracked the wood, this time, louder and more fervently. He did it once more, and then this time, the wood gave way under pressure. Hiccup tumbled inside, and then looked around. He didn't hear anything, until...
...There! The sound of someone kicking the floor, muffled screams and cries. Astrid. Something had happened to Astrid.
Hiccup looked; there was a stairwell. Slowly, to make sure he didn't make any extra noise, he made his way up.
...
Astrid struggled against the grip of the man that held her. She kicked and screamed even though it did no good. His hand was still covering her mouth, his other arm hooked around her body, pinning her arms at her sides.
Astrid struggled against his grip, but it did nothing at all. He dragged her up another flight of stairs and into a darkened room. It was musty and dusty and filthy; absolutely filthy. That's what it was. There was a stove with some pans on it in the corner, but that wasn't very important.
He threw Astrid to the ground, and then whipped out a knife. Astrid was just about to scream, when he shoved his hand over her mouth again.
"Scream," he said, "and I'll kill you."
Astrid was in no mood to be dead, so she kept her mouth closed while the stranger removed his hand.
"Good," he said. "Now listen closely, because I am only going to say this once. You are not supposed to be around here, kid. You know that?"
Astrid shook her head. Play dumb. That's what she needed to do. Just play dumb. And then maybe she could spring on him, knock the knife out of his hand, and call 911.
"You know it," said the man. "I know you do."
"Who are you?" said Astrid.
"If I tell you," he said, "I'll have to kill you." Then, he paused, and laughed maniacally. "Well, I'm going to kill you anyway, so it doesn't well matter now, does it?"
Astrid felt her blood freeze. Slowly, ever so slowly, she pulled out her phone, and started recording, making absolutely certain the man didn't catch her in the act.
"What is your name?" she said, making sure she was recording.
"My name?" he said. "My name is Dagur. I am a criminal, obviously. I mean...I hit a boy with my car weeks ago and didn't even think twice."
Hiccup. Astrid felt her body heat with rage. This man was the reason Hiccup would have to live his life with a prosthetic. But wait...this also meant that Dagur hadn't seen Hiccup in the alleyway, meaning he was safe...
Unless he came looking for her.
"You were the one who hit him, all those weeks ago," said Astrid.
"Yes," said Dagur. "Yes I was." He laughed. "See the reason I have to kill you? You know too much. Far too much, especially now. So..." He held his knife in his hand. "Shall we get the job done?"
He lifted the knife over his head, and got ready to bring it down. Astrid shielded her eyes. This was it. She was going to die.
But then, she heard a shout. She peaked through her eyes, just as Hiccup ran up the staircase. Dagur turned in his direction long enough for Astrid to save the recording.
"STOP!" Hiccup shouted. He ran over to the stove, grabbed a frying pan, and hurled it at Dagur. It smacked him right in the stomach, sending him tumbling to the ground a few feet away. The knife flew from his grip and clattered to the floor in front of him. Dagur pulled himself up and started reaching for his weapon.
Hiccup grabbed another cooking utility and raced forward. He whacked Dagur with his pan and kicked the knife away just as the man was about to grab it. Dagur growled in outrage and pulled himself to his feet. Then, he lunged.
Hiccup wasn't expecting it. Dagur slammed into him, and then both tumbled to the wooden floor, rolling over each other a couple times before stilling, Dagur coming in on top. After making sure Hiccup wasn't moving, Dagur stood up, grinning like a mentally insane person.
He turned around and faced Astrid.
"One down," said Dagur, "one to go."
Seeing Hiccup hurt was the final insult. She had been through so much good and bad that past month it was almost crazy, from the day she met Hiccup to now. But Hiccup was off-limits. No one was allowed to hurt Hiccup.
With renewed anger, Astrid grabbed a frying pan off the floor, and charged.