Chapter Five
Claire's stomach heaved into her throat. She swallowed and forced her eyes open. The ocean water rushed up at her, dark and swirling. Better it than Gage.
She hit the water hard; the impact ignited her skin with a cold fire. She ignored the sting and swam hard. The ocean was more turbulent than she expected, and it tossed her in every direction until she didn't know which way was up. It had been three years since she'd jumped from the same cliff on a dare, and although she had obviously survived the first time, she swore she wouldn't do it ever again.
Claire kicked her legs hard, hoping the motion would propel her up. Her lungs were burning, and if she didn't reach the surface soon... just then her head broke through to air. She inhaled deeply, but only managed to get half a breath before a wave crashed over her head, sending her back into the ocean’s murky depths. She kicked up again, and this time when she broke the surface she tried to get a clear view of her location. The cliffs were behind her. If she could only swim to the right about thirty yards she'd reach a small beach.
Using the breaststroke, Claire swam hard, but the current fought back. Her arms and legs ached, and she was desperate for one solid breath, but the unrelenting waves over her head wouldn’t allow it.
"Keep moving," she told herself over and over, even when she felt the ocean claim its victory.
Just when she thought she couldn't go any further, someone took hold of her hand. "You're almost there! Keep going!"
The sound of Ethan's voice yelling over the ocean's loud roar spurred her on. She wasn't alone. Ethan tugged on her, helping her forward, until her knees bumped onto the sandy shore.
"We're here, Claire," Ethan said, gasping for air. They stumbled onto the shore and collapsed.
She rolled onto her back, her mind reeling. How had Ethan known where she was? When he reached for her hand, she casually moved it away, a sickness spreading in her gut.
Ethan rolled onto his side, facing her. "Are you okay?"
She forced a smile and struggled to sit up. "That was some dive, for sure."
"That's not what I'm talking about. I saw you. With Him."
Claire turned to him, eyes wide. "You did? How did you know where we were?"
"I followed you." When Claire opened her mouth to speak, he spoke quickly. "I know Smith said to stay away, but I couldn't. I was watching you in the car, when all of a sudden you bolted. I tried to catch up to you, but I lost you at the beach. That’s where I saw you just as you dove off the cliff. I ran as fast as I could to get to you."
"What happened to Gage?"
"He ran off."
Claire searched his eyes. All she saw was an endless blue sky. Warm. Safe. She threw her arms around him, and he embraced her back.
"Something's got to change," he whispered. "This is killing me." He pulled her back. "Not to mention almost killing you."
“I agree," she said, thinking specifically of the syringe Gage had been holding. She couldn't keep living in fear, and if Gage was someone close to her then leaving would be the best thing for everyone. "My Aunt Mary lives—”
"Claire!" a voice shouted.
She and Ethan turned around.
Logan was jogging toward them, his face red.
"Are you okay? What happened?" he asked in between heavy breaths.
Claire stood up, her legs barely holding her weight. She noticed Logan was holding Ethan's phone. The black cover with a yellow lightening bolt was unmistakable. "Where did you get that?"
"Huh?" Logan looked confused.
"The phone," she said.
"How did you get it?" Ethan asked.
Logan handed it to him. "I found it up top and recognized it. Are you okay, Claire? We've been looking everywhere for you!"
She stepped closer to Ethan. "How did you know to come here?"
He shrugged. "I just knew. This is the place Gage first attacked you." He frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
She glanced at Ethan and then back at Logan. "When I was in the car, waiting for Smith to come back, I got a call. From Ethan."
Ethan looked at her, surprised. "But I didn't call you. I didn't even have my phone. I left it in my car."
"It wasn't you. It was Gage. On your phone," Claire said. Both she and Ethan turned to Logan at the same time.
He held his hands up as if they had a gun pointed at him. "Look, I just found the phone and thought Ethan would want it."
Claire didn't know how to answer. Behind her, more waves crashed to shore.
"Come on, guys! You can’t be serious. I just found the stupid thing. It doesn't mean I'm Gage." Logan motioned to Ethan. "How do you know it wasn't him, and he's just lying?"
"Whatever, Logan,” Ethan said. “I followed her here and helped her to shore when she jumped from the cliff. If I was Gage, I don't think I'd be trying to save her."
Claire lowered her head, her stomach swirling with ocean water and something else.
"You know I'd never hurt you.” Logan stepped toward her, his eyes pleading. “You’re my best friend. I love you."
His words warmed her heart. What would she do without Logan? No. He couldn’t be Gage either. "I know. Where's Smith?"
Logan motioned behind him. "Still looking for you. He's completely freaking out."
"Let's go," Ethan said.
Claire moved to take a step, but her leg gave out and she stumbled. "Man, I'm wasted," she said and tried to laugh.
Ethan and Logan both came to help her.
"Just stay here. I'll call Smith." Ethan took a few steps away and pressed buttons on his phone.
While he spoke low to Smith, Logan sat down next to her. "So what happened? Why didn't you stay with Smith?"
"Like I said, I got a call from Gage. He said if I didn't sneak away, he'd kill Ethan. Apparently he had followed Ethan, who had followed me."
Ethan lowered his phone and turned to Claire. "He used me to lure you out?"
She nodded. "Is Smith coming?"
"He'll be here in a sec," he said.
"What happened after that?" Logan asked.
"Gage had me meet him here."
"But why?" Ethan asked.
She looked into each pair of concerned eyes, wondering how much to share.
"He wanted me to go away with him," she said, deciding to tell only half the truth. She needed more time to think about what had happened and what exactly it meant.
"Go away with him?" Ethan said. "Is he crazy?"
"Very," she said.
"So why'd you jump?” Logan asked. “That was dangerous."
"Not as dangerous as staying with him," Claire said. "Trust me when I say I had to get away from him and that was the only way."
A screech of tires drew their attention to the road near the beach. Smith's car had slammed on the brakes. He was out of the vehicle and jogging toward them while his car was still jerking from the stop.
"He looks pissed," Claire said.
Ethan took her hand. "It’ll be okay."
Smith approached her with his finger pointed straight. "I told you to stay put!" he barked.
Her eyes widened. "Sir, I wanted to, but—”
Smith put up his hand. "I don't want to hear it. This was our chance to get this guy. We had everyone in place! All of us were there to protect you, Claire. To finally end this nightmare for you, but what do you go and do? You run off with the very guy we're trying to protect you from!"
"I can explain—”
But Smith wasn’t finished. "Sometimes I wonder if you really do like this guy, and I'm caught up in some messed up teenage girl drama!"
Claire lunged at him, but Ethan held her back. "You think I want this?" she yelled. "You think I like having a guy threaten my life and the lives of everyone I love?"
Smith's face softened, but she let him have it. "I get that I'm screwing up everyone's lives!" Ethan moved to put his arm around her, but she shrugged it off. "But I didn't ask for this, and I sure didn't ask for everyone to worry ab
out me. If there's one thing all of you should know, it's that I can take care of myself. I did it when I endured my father’s physical abuse so he wouldn’t hurt my sister anymore, I did it when she died, and I did it again when I sent my dad to jail even though it shattered my mother.” She took a deep breath and looked at each of them. “And I’m going to do it again right now. I think it's best for everyone if I leave town. For good." She ignored Ethan and Logan's open mouths and stormed off.
Smith jogged after her. "Wait up, Claire!"
Claire kept walking even though every part of her bled with exhaustion.
"Where are you going?" Smith asked. He slowed up and walked next to her.
"I'm walking home."
"You know it’s not safe."
"Nowhere is safe," she said, her strides becoming longer.
"I'm sorry about what I said. I let my temper get the best of me."
"It’s fine. I get it."
Smith was silent, then, "You mind telling me what happened back there? Why you ran off?"
Claire stopped walking. In one breath she told him exactly what she had told Ethan and Logan. She finished by saying: "Don't talk me out of leaving. As soon as I get home I'm going to call my aunt and get everything arranged. Hopefully I'll be gone within a few days."
"I'm not going to talk you out of it," he said.
"You're not?"
"No. I think its best. It's too dangerous for you here, and I don't even know what I'm up against."
She nodded, knowing he was right.
Smith put his arm around her. "Come on. Let me give you a ride home."
The next day, Claire woke up more determined than ever. All night she made plans to get out of town. In two days. That’s when she’d finally leave Bandon, something she’d wanted to do for a long time. But not like this. Not running for her life.
Her mother hadn’t tried to stop her, which Claire didn’t expect. But what had surprised her is her mother suggesting that maybe they both could move. Somewhere new where they could start over. Claire liked that idea.
All night Logan and Ethan had tried calling her, but she didn’t want to speak to either of them just yet. They might want to talk her out of leaving, and she didn’t want anyone changing her mind. But now that her plans were set, there was really only one thing to do. She wanted to have one last day at the beach with all of her friends.
She texted Kate, then Steph and Audrey. She followed it up with Ethan and Logan. Just a simple text that said: Party at the beach. Noon. Meet at the lockers. She didn’t respond to any follow up questions, especially from Ethan. She would explain everything there.
Even though Claire said noon, she arrived at eleven to have some time to herself. She wasn’t really alone though. The beach was crowded with children, parents, couples; pretty much everyone had showed up. It was a gorgeous day, one of the warmest of the year.
Claire spread her towel on a sandy spot of beach right in the middle of everyone. It’s where she felt safest. She stretched out on her bare belly and looked up. Near the snack station, Officer Johnson was ordering a drink. She closed her eyes and rested her head on her forearm, not letting herself think of anything.
Just before noon, Claire straightened and headed to her beach locker near the snack station.
Ethan was already there waiting for her in his bathing suit. "What's going on? Why are you avoiding me?"
She began spinning the combination on her locker. "I can't stay, Ethan."
He let out a sigh. "So that’s what this is all about. Look, I didn't ask you to and I won't."
Claire stopped moving. She didn't know whether to be relieved or slightly let down.
He took hold of her hand. "It's not that I want you to go, but I think you're safer if you do."
"You’re wrong," a voice said from behind her. Claire turned around.
"You can't leave," Logan said. "He'll just follow you."
"You don't know that," she said.
"And you don't know that he won't. Leaving won't accomplish anything. We need to end this here."
She let go of Ethan's hand and crossed her arms to her chest. "How? By killing someone I know?"
"Anne said that's the only way," Logan said.
"There’s got to be something we’re missing. An option we haven’t thought of yet."
"And what about Gage?"
Claire returned to spinning the dial on her locker. "What about him? Once he realizes I've left, he'll forget about me and move on."
"To what?"
"Lay off,” Ethan said. “She's made up her mind."
Logan took hold of her arm. "Please, Claire. You need to stay. Gage has to be stopped."
Ethan knocked his hand away. "She said no."
Claire couldn't look at him. "I'm sorry, Logan."
Why couldn't she remember her combination?
Logan stared at her for a moment before he turned around and walked toward the ocean, his surfboard in hand.
"Don't worry about him," Ethan said. "He'll get over it."
"Uh-huh.” The locker door opened. She withdrew money from her pant pocket.
Ethan placed his hand over hers. “Let me. What do you want?”
“Lemonade and a slice of pizza.”
“Got it. Wait here. I’ll be right back.” He kissed her on the cheek and walked to the long line of people all waiting for food.
Claire squinted and searched the shoreline for Logan. He was wading into the water. He always went surfing when he was upset.
She was about to close her locker, when she saw the corner of a black envelope sticking out from beneath her jeans. She slid it out and turned it over in her hands. No markings anywhere to indicate whom it could be from. She brought it close to her and inhaled. The ocean. She slipped her finger into it and broke the seal. Inside was a letter on fancy stationary that read:
My Dearest Claire,
Have you already forgotten that you belong to me? Try leaving Bandon and I will kill everyone you love. I do not make threats. You are mine.
Gage
Claire's head spun, and she placed her hand on the lockers to steady herself. As soon as her mind stopped reeling, she tossed the letter into her locker, slammed the door, and bolted for the nearest bathroom before she had a complete breakdown in front of everyone.
Once inside a bathroom stall, Claire slumped to the concrete floor between the wall and the toilet. She tried to take deep breaths, but they caught in her chest until great tears spilled onto her bare legs. There was no way out. Never had she felt so helpless. At least with her father she had options. But Gage was different. She wiped at her eyes with her wrist and tilted her head back, staring into the glare of the fluorescent lights.
But the hopelessness wasn't what was making her sick to her stomach, a pain that had started the night before. There were too many signs, too many coincidences. Gage had to be someone she knew and loved: Ethan or Logan. She clutched her aching stomach.
Other than Smith, they were the only ones who knew about her decision to leave. Then last night she’d remembered what Gage had said at the car accident, about meeting her at the spot where she learned to ride a dirt bike. At first, she hadn’t thought too much about it, but then she realized only Logan and Ethan knew where that was. And they were the only ones who knew about the gun. And they were the only ones who had found her last night. Claire was sure now, despite the innocence she saw in each of their eyes. Maybe whoever it was didn’t know he was Gage. Or maybe he did know and was the best liar she’d ever met. More tears fell.
Minutes passed by as she considered her options. Leave and risk everyone getting killed? Stay and become a killer-freak like Gage?
Or.
She sat up. Do exactly what Logan had suggested.
Kill Gage.
When Anne told her that Gage was someone she knew and she’d have to kill them, Claire didn't think she could do it, but too much had happened. And now she was backed into a corner. She shook her head, stood, and brush
ed herself off. No matter what mask Gage wore, she'd kill anyone who would make her into a victim again.
Resolved and determined, she went to the bathroom sink and washed her hands. She met her gaze in the mirror for a fraction of a second and then looked down. No matter who it is, she thought, before shutting off the water and leaving the bathroom.
Claire stepped into the sunlight. In her mind she was already planning how to kill Gage, but first she had to figure out who he was. That would be the hard part.
She turned the corner of the large, brick bathhouse, and nearly ran into several kids running toward the beach. Without warning, a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her backwards into a muscled chest. The perpetrator practically lifted her up and dragged her to the wall.
"Hello, Claire," a familiar, poisonous voice said in her ear. "I have something for you."
Before she could scream, Gage stabbed a syringe into her neck. A warm liquid rushed into her vein.
"You can thank me later," he whispered before removing the syringe and disappearing into the sea of happy beachgoers.
Chapter Six
Claire brought her hand up to her neck. Time slowed and the people around her began to spin. She blinked slowly. Not far away she saw Kate at the lockers waving at her. A bright pink cast was on her arm. It matched her pink bikini. I like it, she thought before she crumbled to the floor.
A searing pain, much like she imagined how fire would feel, exploded all over her body. She curled into a tight ball on the sand, unable to make a sound. The fire was everywhere, lapping at her skin, boiling her blood, cooking her insides. If only she could scream, she might be able to release some of the pain.
People nearby spoke fast; their voices were high-pitched like they’d been sucking helium. She wanted to swat at them, tell them to go away and let her suffer in silence. And then she felt herself being picked up and carried. The small breeze from moving stung every nerve ending in her skin, causing her even more pain. Voices kept talking. The sound of a door opening and closing. And then only one voice.
"Claire?” the voice asked, slower, deeper, and this time Claire recognized it as Logan's. She gripped his hand and felt him squeeze it back.
Unleashed: Part 3 (Unleashed Series) Page 3
