Run from your problems, but you cannot run from yourself.

"Sorry that we had to go back in to record part of the song again. On the bright side, you got to run down the hall after drinking a Monster." Alan smiled and shrugged. In his left hand he clutched his phone tightly. LP hadn't replied to another text he sent. The ginger started to head for the door, quietly checking the glowing screen of his phone again.

"So i'll see you guys later!" He called to us as the door closed. Austin flopped into his large couch, pulling me down on top of him, staring up into my eyes. The fading light dimmed the room.

"So what do you want to watch for a movie tonight?" Austin asked me. He had the best screen to watch movies on and every night was screening night for him.

"Of course." I told him. Austin paused for a moment.

"Is anything wrong?" I questioned. He shook his head and sighed.

"I was trying to think if I checked the mail today. I forget that sometimes." I swatted playfully as he said this. Just on Monday, he had forgotten to get the mail, so I had to retrieve that for him.

"Austin Robert Carlile..." I sighed. He pouted.

"That means I'm in trouble. You used my full name." He pouted. I got up and started outside.

"I'll get the mail." I called back. Austin moved to grab some sodas and pop a surprise movie in the DVD player. Of course, there were a few letter tucked into the lonely mail box. I pulled them out and tucked them into the crook of my arm as I closed the door and headed back up the drive way inside the cozy house.

"Austin, you did forget and you do have a few letters." I called to him. He laugh boomed as I set them on the kitchen counter, scattering them out. One in particular caught my eye.

"Is it okay if we see Green Lantern kick butt today?" He asked me. Austin knew I loved any superhero movie, but my mind wasn't on that. It was on the oddly scrawled letter's envelope with no return address.

"Austin, you got a letter with no return address." I called to him, my voice shaky. I had read a few books like this, where the main character got a note with no returning sender address.

In the end, they always were blown to bits or killed. Maybe I was just overreacting.

Feet scuttled to the kitchen and I held the letter away, behind my back. Austin's eyes were wide, trying to hide something. He was a terrible liar and a terrible hider.

"Oh, it's probably just bills." He shakily explained. I shook my head. I knew what bill envelopes looked like. With dad gone, I had seen plenty of those go through.

"They aren't bills. Austin Carlile, what are you hiding?" I asked him, now a little worried. Was he cheating on me? No, he wouldn't. Austin was faithful, wasn't he?

"Raelyn, baby, I love you. Please, hand back the letter." He begged me. I crossed behind the island and now we were separated. Without breaking eye contact, I took the letter and ripped open the seal. My fingers were trembling so bad I nearly dropped the letter. Echo nosed my side, sitting by my leg.

"Raelyn, please sweetheart, I beg you to put down the letter. It's nothing, just personal stuff." He pleaded. Now with Austin, I knew I could trust him with anything and I did trust him, but this seemed to be shaking him up. The folded up paper was still in my hands.

"Austin, I won't read the letter word for word if you just tell me what it's about. If something's wrong, just tell me, honey." I told him. He stayed silent.

"Is it from another girl?" I asked quietly. No, he couldn't be cheating on me. His head shook back and forth vigorously.

"No, of course not." He explained. A little of my fear went out.

"Is it something with your dad?" I asked him. He shook his head.

"It's about your safety." He pleaded me again to drop the paper. I smiled and everything I worried about washed out of me.

"Aus, you know I can take care of myself." I chuckled. He shook his head and tried to snatch the paper again, sadness clouding his vision. I opened it up and started reading.

Austin, your time is up. We saw you with her just the other day. You made a foolish mistake, and now you will pay for it. Say your final goodbyes, because your days are running out. It was about time for us to correct the mistake we made so long ago.

I read the words over and over until the tears blurred my vision and dripped onto the paper. My knees shook and I felt myself going weak. I set down the paper on the counter. Then, I slowly sank to the floor, pulling my legs up to my knees. The breaths I took were rattled and were labored. Choked sobs came out from my gasps as I fell into panic attack mode. The fingers that were broken of their old habit started up again until I could feel the red welts rise through and through.

Someone was going to kill Austin. Someone was going to rip away the man I loved, the man who acted like a brother to me.

He was going to die and I couldn't do anything about it.

Austin came next to me, picking me up and setting me in his lap. I sobbed into his shirt as he cradled me there. Echo whined and went back to a corner, placing her paws on her white muzzle. The tears flowed down my cheeks freely and the dam had broken.

"It's just empty words." He murmured as if he was trying to consul me, but I believe it was to reassure himself.

"Aus, it might be real!" I choked out again. I let out a broken sob again, then started to rake the red welts further into my arms until he caught my hand and held it.

"Rae, I'm not going to die." He murmured over and over to me again.

"H-h-have you gotten a letter like this before?" I asked him. The clock on the wall rung out nine in the silence that followed.

"Yes." He murmured, holding me tighter. I sobbed all the louder in his arms on the kitchen floor.

"Don't leave me." I managed out between yawns. When I was upset I got really tired. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of my neck.

"Never." He promised, then lifted me up, carrying past the living room and up the stairs to the guest bedroom. I closed my eyes as he set me down on the bed and crawled next to me.

"I thought we were watching a movie." I complained sleepily. He stroked my cheek quietly.

"You need some sleep." He told me firmly. I complained and curled next to him.

"No I don't." But my argument was ruined as I yawned at the end. His chuckle was faint in the dark room.

"Yes you do, sweetheart. Now do you want me to stay with you tonight?" He asked me. I nodded as he wrapped his hands around to pull me into his grasp. I breathed in his cologne and sweet smell.

I never wanted him to leave me. No matter who would try to take him from me, I'd do anything to stop them. That, I promise.

Notes

So Rae found the letter....O.O What next?

(P.S. You'll see a little more of LP in the next few chapters....)

Rate/Comment/Subscribe!