Chapter Eight ★ Chased

｡☆✼★━ Daniel ━★✼☆｡

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I hesitated and glanced at the road. The man that was following me was passing the last house before ours. Dad’s voice growled, “Now.”

The warm sensation that I had before drained out of me entirely. Aunt LeAnne came out on the porch and grabbed a hold of me. She asked, “What’s going on Stephen?”

“Get Daniel inside, quick.” Dad took aim with the rifle and pulled the trigger. It was a warning shot.

The strange man stopped at our property line and raised his hands. Aunt LeAnne saw him and tried to move me inside. I refused to budge.

Dad said under his breath, “Boy, if you know any better than I suggest that you git inside this instant.”

That icy tone. Aunt LeAnne wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me with her. She whispered, “Come Daniel. It’s not safe out here.”

“What’s going on?” I asked her.

She shook her head and replied, “Not now.”

The storm door closed with a bang and I turned around once we were inside. I wanted to see what was going to happen. Dad had his rifle trained on the man that chased me home.

I could barely hear them until something popped inside me. Like someone had turned on a switch and I could hear both of their voices crystal clear.

The man with the dark eyes and hair spoke, “I thought you drowned in Lake Michigan. Now to find you here?”

Dad spat to one side, “It wasn’t my time then nor is it now. You’re on mer-protected grounds. You better leave before things get ugly.”

“Oh?” The strange man said. “Are you going to shoot me?”

Dad’s finger got tighter on the trigger then slightly lowered the gun. He replied, “I might but all it’ll do is inconvenience you for a small time. It won’t kill you.”

“Smart beastie.” Strange man’s eyes narrowed. “Let me have the boy and I’ll leave you be.”

“No.” Dad growled. “Not a finger. You will not lay a single finger on my boy. He’s not part of this so leave him out of it.”

Strange man pursed his lips and took a step forward. Dad snapped the rifle back up. Aunt LeAnne clutched me closer to her. Her heartbeat picked up.

Dark eyes shifted to one side as sirens sounded down the road. He dropped his hands and darted away. Dad kept the rifle trained on the guy long after he left our sight.

The sirens reminded me of Gracie. I shouted, “Gracie! We have to help her.”

Dad turned towards me and nodded at Aunt LeAnne before he dashed down the road to the Garrison’s house where Gracie lived. So, dad did have a heart. Good.

My knees buckled and I sank down to the floor. Too much has happened and the worst thing was… I didn’t know half of what was going on… who was that man? I thought dad lived in Savannah Georgia his whole life?

Several questions swarm in my head when Aunt LeAnne helped me back up and led me into the kitchen to sit at the table. She wet a cloth and placed it on the back of my neck and got me a glass of cold water.

I took it and drank until it was all gone. She got me another glass. I sipped it slower this time. She sat down in a chair adjacent to me and took my hand. I looked up at her.

Aunt LeAnne smiled then said, “We have to talk.”

‧͙⁺˚*·༓☾ – Chapter 8 :: Chased Done – Stay tuned for Chapter 9… –☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙