As soon as the door shut behind me, I started running. I didn't go far, despite my terror. The only safe refuge I knew of was my Dad's place. I turned in my path and doubled back to town. I got in the house without anyone seeing me. I sat in my room, taking deep breaths. I jumped out of my skin when the phone rang later that night. It was Leah. "Can we come over?" she asked.
"Who's we?" I asked warily.
"Me and Seth." She replied. I agreed, and told her to come in the back door. A few minutes later the three of us were sitting on the couch with all the curtains securely closed. "Mum was freaked when she saw you. She still won't tell us what she was talking about on the phone." Leah said quietly. I groaned and put my head in my hands. "I think I know what that conversation was about." Seth lifted his head slightly, looking at me for the first time. He seemed on edge. "I was driving here from New York, when I kept falling asleep, so I pulled over to have a sleep. I locked the doors, probably because I was paranoid, but I kept hearing something in the woods. I fell asleep, and the next thing I remember was this face, this gorgeous face sneering down at me. Then I woke up, i…i...in hospital." I fell silent, at the look that was on Seth's face. Leah put a restraining hand on his arm and gave him a warning glare. "Mum was going to see Billy." She said quietly. I froze again, comprehension-sinking in. "Why? Does she think I'm a ghost or something?" I demanded trying to laugh. Leah flashed a quick grin in my direction, before directing another glare at her brother. "If Mum tells Billy about her conversation with your mum and seeing you alive, he will make sure that you are actually dead." Seth said stiffly. I sat still for a long time. Billy Black knew about people like me, the look of fear in that strange guy's eye. "Today, I was in the woods, and this random guy came out of the woods." I looked up in time to see Seth's eyes widen in surprise. "He started, like circling me asking me all these really weird questions about myself. He just started to attack me, when he changed his mind and ran away towards Seattle. I've had such a weird day, it's all so confusing." I shook my head trying to organize my bounding thoughts and memories. Seth frowned and appeared to fall deep in thought. Leah, well, just looked a little horrified and shocked. "I have to go." Seth said suddenly.
"Don't you go blabbing to anyone." She said harshly. He nodded and left out the back door. "Do you want me to stay here for the night?" Leah asked quietly. I grimaced.
"I don't know," I started slowly. "What will your Mum think?"
"Whatever she wants." Leah said smiling grimly. I shook my head slowly. "She'll think that I made off with you. She'll think that I killed you."
"I'm old enough to make my own decisions now."
"I think, it will be bad for both of us, but I can see that I won't change your mind in any way at all." I said finishing with a smile. Leah smiled at me in agreement. "Girls night in." she squealed. I put my finger to my lips. She fell silent immediately. I cocked my head to the side listening. The back door burst open and was slammed shut. Seth came into the room with his hair-soaking wet. He flopped onto the couch. "Em, you have to get out of here!" he panted.
"What do you mean?" I demanded my eyes wide.
"I told you not to blab!" Leah growled. I was frozen on the couch not moving a muscle. "I didn't! Mum told Billy!" Seth said defensively. I thought it through quickly. "They'll follow me won't they?" I asked through unmoving lips. Seth nodded minutely. "I need to get out of here!" I spat through my teeth. I couldn't comprehend how fast my mind worked out an escape plan, but to them it was like I had pulled out of thin air in a second. "Leah and I could swap clothes and she could take my motorbike and drive it south for twenty minutes, then once she gets clear, she sends a message to me and I run for it." Leah's expression had gone stubborn the moment I had started talking and Seth had shook his head, just once, but enough to let me know that it wouldn't work. "What should we do?" Leah asked, "Em's plan might work, but I think that it should be our last resort…" she trailed off as someone knocked on the front door. My breathing froze again, and my senses ranged out and I cringed mentally. "It's Sam." Seth whispered mortified.