Stay or Go

Chapter 9

Once Dustin is in bed I go back to my room and kneel down beside my bed. I lean down and grab the duffle bag from underneath my bed, gently I unzip it and take out my gun. Different to the one I have in my bag, one designed to kill people like me. I check that it is loaded before taking it as I walk down the stairs and out of the house.

If Richard has announced his presence to me that means he starts the hunt soon, I know this man's patterns inside and out. We trained together, fought against and beside one another. I think I know him better then my own brother at this point. Which means I know that he wont stop until one of us is dead.

I make my way down the drive and into the forest, my heart hammering in my chest like a machine gun. The woods is quiet, still, as though the animals lurking inside are too scared to make a sound. My footsteps crunch on the leaves coating the floor, I keep my head up and trained in front of me. I need to find Richard first otherwise he will have the advantage, I also can not have him anywhere near my brother or my mum.

Time passes quickly or slowly, I can't tell but when my hunt comes up empty I start back for home. On my way there I hear the snapping of a stick behind me making me jump. I whirl around and point my gun in the direction of the noise "woah, it's me kid!" A deep familiar voice says. I lower my weapon and sigh "Jesus Chief, you scared the crap out of me." I say as the elder man walks towards me "what the hell are you doing out in the woods at this time of night?" He asks rubbing his arm.

"I thought I heard something." I say coming up with a story almost instantly. I guess the Academy trained me well. "I came to check it out, guess I was wrong." I shrug nonchalantly. Chief Hopper gives me a suspicious look before saying "alright, you get inside now. I guess you heard about the Byers kid?" I nod my head sadly, remembering the heartbreak in my brothers eyes and in Jonathan's voice when he called me earlier to tell me what happened.

Hopper places his hands on his hips "go home Lorelei." I nod saluting him and stepping back a few paces "yes sir."

-

"How are you doing buddy?" I ask Dustin as he comes down, puffy eyes for breakfast. He sniffs, wipes his nose and says "we saw the body last night." My eyes widen and I open my mouth to question all of his life decisions when he cuts me off by explaining "the girl we told you about. Eleven. She said she knew where Will was so we let her take us through the woods but she only took us to Will's house so we assumed she was lying."

Dustin pauses, I wait for him to continue. "Then we saw a bunch of police cars and an ambulance race past and we followed them." He finishes. I lean on the counter and watch as he starts to pour himself some breakfast "so." I say clasping my hands together "not only was the girl you telling me about real, but that you let her take you into the woods where you just happened to be when they found the body?"

He nods and I groan, letting my head fall on the counter "I don't even have the time to explain how irresponsible and dangerous that was Dusty." I say raising my head again catching him shove a spoonful of cereal into his mouth "and dangerous. The person who killed Will could still be out there." Dustin nods putting his spoon back into his bowl "I know Lorri, I'm sorry." I sigh and come over to where he is standing.