Page 3 of Shielded By My Mate

Mira

I groan as my head bounces off something hard. I blink my eyes open, squinting up at the harsh sun. My body pitches to the left, sliding along the hard ground until I slam into a wall.

I yelp, trying to use my hands to push off from the truck bed wall, and that’s when I see that they’re tied together. Thick rope bites into my skin and tears sting my eyes as I try to twist out of the tight bonds.

The truck takes another sharp turn, and I brace myself as I slide around in the back of the truck bed.

I’m in so much trouble, I think as the truck speeds down the back roads, bouncing over potholes and taking wild turns. Are we running from something? How did I get here?

It’s fuzzy, but my memory is coming back. I turned twenty-one a few days ago and was trying to figure out what to do next with my life. I knew what I should do after graduating early with my degree; I knew what my parents expected of me. And I knew I didn’t want to do either of those things.

My parents have never shown much interest in me. I think they had me so they could tick that box and have the picture-perfect life. I knew I didn’t want to have their life, didn’t want to stay with them in their empty, sterile house, but aside from what I didn’t want, I had no ideas for what I should do instead.

I didn’t really have anyone to ask besides my best friend, Ridley. She was in a similar boat, and we’d started to Google options. That was how we stumbled on the overseas English teaching position. It seemed like a great opportunity. We could travel and help people. It was a win-win, so we signed up.

I thought we’d be on a plane to somewhere in Asia right about now. Instead, I’m tied up and bouncing around in my kidnapper’s truck bed.

Oh my god! Where’s Ridley?

I sit up, peeking into the rear window for any sign of her, but only see two men in the cab. They seem distracted by the road, arguing over the map. If they slow down or stop, I need to be ready to make my move.

I bite down on my bottom lip, trying to contain my whimpers as I wiggle my wrists to free my hands. It takes a few minutes and a layer of skin, but I’m able to free my hands from the rope.

I peek back at the men, but they’re still not paying me any attention. They’re probably assuming that the drugs they gave me are still in my system, and I’m passed out back here.

I look over the edge of the truck and swallow hard as I see how fast the ground is whizzing past. I try to see if I can spot any familiar signs or landmarks, but see nothing but trees.

I take a deep breath, and my heart pounds even harder when I see a stop sign coming up ahead. I hope that they’ll obey traffic laws, even though the guys don’t seem too concerned with being upstanding citizens.

The truck slows, and I know that this is it. I grip the side of the truck, and as the stop sign gets closer, I heave myself up, suck in a sharp breath, and throw myself over the side onto the road.

I hit the ground hard, crying out at the pain that shoots up my ankle. But I can’t let that stop me. I have to get away.

I stand, limping across the road and into the forest. Maybe I can lose them in the woods because I won’t be able to get far with my injuries.

Maybe they won’t even notice I jumped, I think as I hobble closer to the trees.

The truck skids to a stop, spraying gravel, and I hear the men shouting as I stumble away.

Okay, maybe not.

“Hey!” one of them yells.

“You fucking bitch!” the other one seethes.

I swallow at the rage in his voice. I need to get away. I need to hide. But where?

I scan my surroundings, desperately looking for any sign of someone who can help or a place I can hide, but there’s nothing but trees and bushes. Glancing over my shoulder, I try to determine how close the men are.

That’s why I don’t see the branch.

I trip, flying forward and land in a sprawl on the forest floor, the wind leaving me in a harsh grunt.

“Shit,” I cry, tears spilling down my cheeks at the new aches and pains in my body.

I push up onto my hands and knees and bite down on my bottom lip until I taste blood. I’m freaking out, panicking, crying, worrying.

How did an overseas teaching job lead to me being kidnapped and chased through God knows where? Where is Ridley? Is she okay? How did they drug me? How did I get here? Where can I hide? Where?