The Lake House

27|| Hostage

Lesley huffed, taking in deep breaths as bullets of sweat dripped from her pores. She halted her run, smoothly transitioning herself behind the trunk of a tree. Leaning forward, she rested her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She peered around the tree, scoping out her surroundings, ensuring Greg hadn't caught up with her. Finally, her labored breathing had simmered down.

Jackie's house was inching closer, evident by the scenery. And that kept Lesley's momentum and sanity- knowing a haven of safety was nearby.

As she scanned her surroundings again, she quickly dived for the pathway to Jackie's house. From there, she regained her momentum.

Without further distraction, she increased her speed. The pathway was now inclining, forcing her to run up the hill strenuously.

Breathing hard and gasping for air, she felt her body would give out any minute now.

And that's when she heard it, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Lesley!" Nick's voice shouted through the forest.

Swiftly, she turned, shifting her head and gazing down the pathway.

Her heart pounded in her chest, knocking rhythmically against her ribs at the sight of Greg.

In his hand, he held a switchblade poised at Nick's throat. Thick ties of rope bound Nick's hands behind his back, rendering him powerless.

Trembling, she felt a surge of fear race through her. She extended an open hand toward Greg, silently pleading for an alliance in that dire moment.

"Greg, please, let Nick go." She cried. "I should've never run away from you."

"No, you should've never snooped!" Greg yelled. "I heard about you going around Arcaden, playing detective. Brown nosing!"

Tears streamed down Lesley's face. Her stomach churned with nervous anticipation, bracing for the unpredictable. She took two steps down the incline, hoping she would be able to offer some solace to Greg even though she knew he was dangerous and unstable.

"Greg, I'm so sorry," Lesley began, her voice quivering. "I truly cared about Leah. I just wanted to help her," she confessed. In that tense moment, she felt compelled to share the details of her visits with Leah over the past month.

"Leah wasn't a good girlfriend!" Greg retorted, his hand trembling as the switchblade remained dangerously close to Nick's neck. "She cheated on me!" His lips quivered as if he held back tears with all his might.

"I'm so sorry she did that to you." Lesley offered her sympathy. "If you let Nick go, I promise we can help you."

"Help me how?!" He shouted. "Nobody can help me!" He cried. The tears he tried so hard to hold back were now freely falling like raindrops in a storm; he couldn't control them.

"Greg, it's gonna be okay," Lesley said softly.

"Yeah, Greg. We can help you. Whatever you need, we got you, buddy!" Nick said optimistically, trying to forget that he had a switchblade pointed at his neck.

"I'm a killer!" Greg continued to cry. "It's over for me!"

Just then, loud sirens could be heard through the cold forest air.

Lesley's heart jumped with relief at the thought of help coming their way.

Not a minute later, the police cruisers appeared. Their tires screeching to an abrupt halt, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

Swiftly, two officers emerged simultaneously, each stepping out from opposite sides of the vehicle.

They brandished their guns. Their fingers gripped the cold metal as they took defensive positions behind the opened doors of their cruisers, turning them into makeshift shields.