Three times Kai was helped by an Angel: The Rainy Night
You can read the first one here.
This was a mistake.
My lungs burned as I crouched behind the tree. What had I been thinking, agreeing to meet John out here? Aidan’s Well was quiet, but it was too exposed.
I had no idea where the sweep team was. Why were they even here at all? Was it me they were after…or someone else?
Maybe I could go into town and ask to use someone’s phone, but would that be too suspicious? Would I look like a scared kid on the run?
I almost laughed. If people did think that, they’d be absolutely right.
But it was the only chance I had.
Keeping to the edge of the trees, I crept towards the village. Maybe there would be a shop still open, like a grocer’s, but I needed to move quickly. If there was a Tracker or a Mentis in the sweep team, I was in even more trouble than I’d thought.
Just as I moved past a cottage, a car drew up and two women got out. They opened the boot and ran up to the door with their suitcases.
“Come on, hurry up!” one of them called. The younger laughed, and I froze. I knew her. She was the girl from the Kingfisher, the same one who’d helped me escape from the van outside the Black Fox. What was her name?
Zara.
I couldn’t ask her for help. She was with her mother.
They disappeared inside the cottage - then, moments later, Zara’s mother opened the door again and got back into the car. My heart jumped as she drove away from the cottage and towards the main part of the village.
This was my chance. I waited until the car was out of sight before hurrying towards the cottage. If the sweep team were onto me, this was when I’d find out.
But nothing happened.
I knocked on the door.
Zara opened it. “I know, here’s your…”
She froze, staring at me.
“I’m in trouble.” I didn’t know what else to say.
I looked over my shoulder, then moved past her into the cottage. Ignoring her cry of “What are you doing?” I shut the door and hurried into the sitting-room. I crouched under a window, pressing myself against the wall.
She was in the room now. I looked up at her. “Close the curtains.”
“What? Why?”
“Just do it!”
She closed all the curtains; it made me feel a bit safer, but not by much. My blood was still coursing with adrenaline.
“Look, you can’t stay here. Mum’ll be back any moment.” Zara frowned. “Did you just knock on the door at random?”
I shook me head. “I was hiding outside and I saw you getting out the car. Then when your mum left…” Great. Now I sounded like a stalker.
“But what are you doing here? We’ve got no food and I don’t have any money.”
“There’s a sweep team in the area. I think they’re here for me.”
Now she looked alarmed. “How big is it?”
“I don’t know. I only know they’re here because I overheard someone talking.”
How long did we have before Zara’s mother came back? It wouldn’t take long to call John - I’d memorised his number perfectly.
“You probably don’t remember me.”
What was she talking about? “I do.”
“Not from The Black Fox. Before that.”
I looked right at her. Now I was seeing her in the light instead of half-shadows, I was struck by how pretty she was with her curly dark hair and nut-brown eyes.
She was trying to hide it, but I could tell she was anxious. Nervous, even. Was she afraid of the sweep team catching us together - or was she afraid of me?
“I do remember you.”
She smiled at me, a little awkwardly. “Thanks for not giving me away to your uncle.”
“I couldn’t let him know you were there. Uncle Roger was desperate, but I had no idea he’d do that.”
“Desperate about what?”
Shouts echoed outside. I flinched and looked at the window.
“Are there Mentai in the sweep team?” Zara asked.
“There’s probably a Tracker.”
Just then, feet raced past the cottage and faded into the distance. I dared to relax, relief flooding through me. They’d passed us by.
“Was it Gideon Merris your uncle was trying to call?”
Still feeling overwhelmed, I nodded. “I was going to talk Uncle Roger down, but then he shot at you. I had to do something.”
I’d wasted enough time here. John would be here soon. I got up and walked towards Zara. “I need your phone.”
She backed away from me.
“Come on, I need it.”
“This isn’t mine, it’s my mother’s.”
She whirled away and rushed into the hallway. I almost chased after her, but I didn’t want to frighten her any more than I had.
Zara was rummaging around in a bag lying at the bottom of the stairs. She took out a phone and handed it to me. I entered John’s number and held the phone to my ear, praying he’d answer.
“John Aldren speaking, how can I help you?”
“John, it’s me. I’m outside Aidan’s Well, but there’s a sweep team around.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I know, I know, but they might not be there for me.”
He cleared his throat. “Outside Alden’s Well, there’s a large stone cross. Do you know how to find it?”
“Yeah, I can get there. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up and held out the phone to Zara.
She took it. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to get to the old stone cross; he’s coming to pick me up. Thanks for hiding me, Zara.”
“Are you going to be OK?” she asked.
“Yeah. I think so.”
I left the cottage, quietly closing the door behind me. Luckily, Zara’s mother hadn’t come back yet. It was almost completely dark outside now, so I could barely see anything, but I knew exactly where to go.
But as I moved through the rain, I couldn’t stop thinking about Zara and the look in her eyes. She had been afraid of me.
The realisation saddened me. I didn’t want her to be scared of me. Maybe the next time we met, things would be different.
Want to read the full story? It’s on Amazon.