Shadow-Land - Heather Parsons (bill gates book recommendations TXT) 📗

"Sierra what happened?" The look she gave him, had him thinking he had asked a stupid question. Of course it was a stupid question, he should have known better. He knew exactly what had happened but here he was asking like he didn't know anything.

"You were there. You saw everything." She cried out and buried her head in her knees. Travis hated himself for leaving her alone. Fighting back the tears that now invaded his eyes and reaching across her very slowly, he didn't want to startle her anymore than she already was. Rubbing her back to sooth her fears.

"I'm sorry I should have never left you." Travis felt so much guilt for betraying her. He should have stayed by her side and kept her safe. Starring at her, he wondered what she was thinking. Her head jolted up and she looked toward the door. He too looked but didn't see what she was. It looked like she was waiting for someone to walk in. "Sierra please look at me. Please." Travis cried, blinking away his own tears and seeing her turn her head to look at him. He couldn't hold his stare that long and dropped his head in his hand.

Feeling her touch on his cheek as Travis raised up his head. Calmness overcame him with just that simply touch and she fell into his embrace. Holding her to him, he could feel the pain she was feeling and only wished he could take it all away.

SEVENTEEN:

Hero

JAKE stayed parked on the porch when the police cruisers pulled up. Keeping his eyes focused on the ground and thinking how all of what Travis had said was true. Would they really go after Simon? Is he really dead? This didn't make sense to him and to top it all off, the secret that both of them have been keeping seems more like a curse now than anything else. With Simon gone, that is if he really is, then Sierra's safety is more of a question now. Is she really safe where she is, honestly Jake doesn't think Travis has thought this through.

He glanced up when he heard the officer call out Travis' name and was almost certain that he would tell them everything. Just like he had thought of many times but he didn't. Watching the officer look up and down at him and then turn his stare at him. His stare was intense and Jake was having a hard time concentrating on keeping his face looking normal. His thoughts were numb with the information Travis had told him but still he felt as if he was keeping something from him. Something that would either help them out or hurt them more.

Turning his gaze back to the ground in front of him and trying his hardest to focus on the important things. His hands were fidgeting as he tried hard to keep them still. Wishing he had left when he was asked now because sitting here was killing him. Doing nothing was worse. He had to do something, to prove to Sierra that he still felt the same way about her as he did before. Sure, sure Travis might think he has Sierra's heart but he believe he can change that.

Jake thought he would have to go back to that house to see for himself. Listening to the footsteps of the officers and waiting for the door to close before he stood up. He jumped down the steps and ran out to the lawn. The rain was lightly falling again but this only made his movements that much faster. Picking up his pace and running for the front gate, he had to fight back for Sierra. Seeing her scared was breaking his heart.

He reached the front gate in a matter of minutes but now having to deal with the guard was beyond annoying. Jake took a few deep breaths before talking to him and tried very hard to control the anger that was rising inside him. "Ron, open the gate and let me out." Jake starred in front of him not wanting to make eye contact with him. They used to be friends until he decided to work for the Williams.

"Oh hey Jake. Didn't see you there. What are you up to these days? Still trying to get Sierra?" Ron stood up but never stepped foot outside. Jake watched as he looked him up and down then started laughing. All the anger he had held in came bursting out.

"Ron, I swear to god if you don't shut up, you'll regret it!" Jake shouted as he strode over to where Ron stood and glared at him. His hands were curled into fists, shaking at his sides.

"Oh give it a rest Jake. She's out of your league. Plus I don't think Travis would appreciate it if he knew what you were thinking. And don't even think about trying to prove something to her. I've seen the way she looks at him and I swear you don't stand a chance." Ron stood up and was in Jake's face. With the rage inside of him seeping over and Ron just stood there smiling. Jake wanted to tell him, he was wrong but he couldn't. He just pointed to the gate again and waited. "Sure Jake go and be a hero but that's not going to make her love you and you know it." Jake watched as he pushed the button and the gate opened.

He slipped through it when it was wide enough and took off running towards the house. With his anger guiding his and the words Ron had just said. He was wrong about one thing and he was almost positive about it. If Sierra saw that he had taken care of her problems then she'd see that he loved her more than Travis.

Fighting back the tears that were threatening and pushing himself harder. He reached the house in no time. Looking at it from the outside was spooky. No lights were on and the front door was wide open, like an invitation as some kind. Jake searched the windows from where he was to make sure there was no one else inside the house. But the feeling of someone watching him was to much to shake off.

Coming here by himself might not have been the best idea he had had but he was there now and he was not planning on running and hiding. Jake had to take a deep breath this time to steady his nerves and put one foot in front of the other, making his way to the front door.

The breeze had picked up outside and with his clothes being wet, he was starting to shiver from the cold. Feeling more like a scared child now than a grown man and looking all around the grounds for the person he was sure was watching him. His mind was screaming for him to leave, run away and not look back. But of course he wasn't planning on listening to it this time. Jake thought of Sierra's scared face and focused on that to push him through what he was about to do.

Taking the steps one at a time and turning around while doing this, he didn't like to think that his back was not covered. Stepping through the doorway, the first thing he smelt was blood. Stinging his nose and turning his stomach, he grabbed around his waist and pushed himself further into the house. It was as cold inside as it was outside making his shivering even worse. With his teeth starting to chatter, he closed his mouth to stop the noise from escaping. His mind was screaming louder with every step he took. Shaking his head slightly to dislodge it. Jake wanted to protect Sierra as much as Travis was but without being able to be close to her, this was the only way to do just that.

Walking to the stairs, he took them slowly up. Keeping his eyes peeled on his surroundings. With the last step close, he turned his head from side to side looking up and down the hallway. In the dark there were too many shaded areas and hidden places to be positive no one else was with him. But after taking yet another deep breath, he forged forward. Stepping on the last stair and putting his back against the wall. Jake moved and slide down to the parents room, looking out into the darkness and breathing only in and out of his mouth.

The smell of the blood was so much stronger up here and his stomach twisted with every step he made. When he reached the door to the room, he quickly looked in then back out. Seeing everything he needed to see without starring at it. Simon laid where Travis said he was, still and without movement. The room itself was horrific with destruction everywhere.

Lifting his hand to his mouth to cover the smell that much more, he heaved himself off the wall and entered the room. Walking around the body, Jake was looking for anything that might prove to him who did this. Everything in the room was ripped or shredded except for a small area in front of the closet. That was clear and looked clean of blood. Moving closer to it and watching where he placed his feet, he reached out with his empty hand to open the door. It creaked a little making him jump back but there was nothing inside. His heart was racing through his chest while he was doing this and the creaking echoed through the house.

"Oh Jake still trying to be the hero." The voice was coming from behind him, making him jump even higher. Tripping over the body and landing hard on his back. Jake couldn't see who was talking to him, whomever it was, was standing in the darkness of the room. With the clouds covering the moon it made it that much harder to see.

"What do you want with me?" Jake's voice came out weak, not as strong as he would have liked it to be. Scrambling on the floor to get up on his feet. Placing his hand on something hard and being able to lift himself up with the support of it. When he stood up, he stood in a defensive position, protecting his front but completely forgetting about his back. The voice did come from the front, didn't it? This thought had him spinning around in circles, swinging at the air and hoping he would come in contact with something.

"Oh Jake you foolish little boy. You should have stayed away." This time the voice came from a different direction and Jake knew now that he wasn't alone. There were two others in here with him and his chances of making it out of this house were slim. Edging his way to the door, he had to try to run. He was looking all over but never