Desperate Run

by C.J. Riggs

my Little Sheep. She’s mine to hunt. Mine. How fucking difficult is that to understand?

is this really necessary?” Taking the black sack from my hands, he drags it down over my head. “Yes, now shut up, steady your breathing and act passed out. I’m putting you over my shoulder.” “Fine,” I whisper back. “But keep your hands off my ass.” The second he hoists me over his shoulder, I bump up and down limply. “You don’t have to worry about that. It’s not worth the loss of my hands.” The leaves crunch beneath his feet and the silence of the area makes my brain run away with me. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all I— “I can hear you thinking. You’re tense... just relax, Max. Nothing will happen to you, I promise.” The moment the faint words leave his lips and sail into my ears, I relax. I don’t know why but I trust what he says. I shouldn’t, but I do.

Enjoying your Friday?” Troy shouts as he dashes around me, effortlessly carrying a girl who stands at least six inches taller than him, her protests echoing through the air. While he tries to hop like a fucking rabbit in front of me, I don’t pull my gaze away from watching Max walk out with Deck, hands laced together. To be frank, as long as it’s not Ben. I see the way she leans away from him, the distain she feels when that one tries to even get in a breathes proximity to her. Deck seems respectful, even though

he slapped her ass. It jiggled nicely, giving me a nice show, so I’ll allow it.

Maxine Andrea Deluca,” May begins, speaking low enough for only me to hear. “Med student at Stanford University.

I’d rather die than stop kissing him.

Pulling out, he drops to the bed, dragging my body with him as we lay there, only the sounds of our mixed breathing to be heard. And then, I giggle. “Not bad,” he responds with a frustrated groan. “But now…” The shift in his tone was near immediate and I feel a pang of fear. “Who the fuck hit you?”

I clear my throat and move from on top of her, my feet hitting the floor, causing the back of the trailer to move. She’s shifting but I don’t turn back to look at her, and just walk through the bedroom to the kitchen. “Draven! I said don’t do anything. It’s fine!” Opening the cabinet, I pull out a glass, followed by the fridge, where I grab the filtered water. I catch the sound of her feet hitting the floor. “Sit your ass right back down on that bed, Max, your legs aren’t ready for you to be walking.” I hear her gasp, and soon, the sound of the mattress weighing as she does as commanded. After filling the glass, I move back into the bedroom, handing it to her. “First off, drink this.” She stares at it for a moment, then takes it and sips. “Secondly, don’t tell me what to do.” “So fucking demanding…” she murmurs into the cup.

By the way,” her gaze trails down to my cock, which yes, is at full attention from staring at her. “Have you killed with that? I mean, damn.”

I won’t answer that question, instead I lean down and grab my boxers. “Aw, no fun.” “They’ll come off again, but if you keep staring at it, it will attack.” I don’t interject a chuckle, even though it is a joke. She, however, does throw her head back and laughs, which is nice to see.

Tu saignes seulement pour moi

I turn my attention to her leg that is resting on my chest. I kiss up her ankle, bringing it down and placing one against her foot. All the while my hand is coming down, my thumb finding her hard bundle of nerves, and slowly begin circling it.

“Anyways,” I bring her hand to Shade’s snout, “Max, meet Shade. Shade, Max. He already has your scent, but now confirmation of your presence is just as essential.” She’s probably as stiff as I’ve ever felt her, but I hear her take a deep breath, and release it slowly. “Hi Shade.” I let her go, and she opens up her palm, allowing for him to rub his wet nose against her. “He likes you,” I comment while standing, I don’t pet Shade, because he isn’t

a dog. I may joke about throwing a ball around or playing tug of war from time to time, but I do not treat him like a domesticated animal. Except, what the fuck am I seeing? I’ve never been surprised before. I’m certain that word has been erased from my dictionary since I turned nineteen, that is, until this moment. Shade is licking her, and his tail is wagging. Wagging. She then starts scratching his head and petting him as if he were a Husky or German Shepherd. I don’t want to stop her, but I feel like I should. Especially as it looks like he is falling in love right now. He is sitting without direction, and his tongue is falling out of his mouth as he pants. I swear if he barks, I’m putting a collar on him. What is this strange feeling? Probably worry, because I can’t have Shade getting attached. If he follows her scent to another state, I’d have to chase after her as well. “Such a good boy.” She’s no longer nervous or tense, and I’m relieved, as there’s nothing for her to fear from him. I’d never

actually send him after her to do damage, maybe for fun, but never to gnaw on her. “How do you put up with the Big Guy? Hmm?” “Hey now…” I cross my arms over my chest, her smile bright as she looks up at me. For a moment, I just watch her, but I know we need to move on. She couldn’t text her friends, and I really nee...

The command is suck in, and then blow out. When you whistle in, there is a very subtleness to it that is different from the outward blow.” She sucks a whistle in. “Good, now a sharp whistle outward.” The first attempt didn’t go off right, so I command her to go again. The second was better, but she stumbles over the release. We keep trying, making the walk from my trailer to her rental feel swift. By the time it comes into view, she has it down. “Well done, now, while you are here if I’m not around for whatever reason and that piece of shit Po comes back, please whistle for Shade.” I’m not sure what expression she’s giving me, but it’s somewhere between admiration and appreciation. Though she doesn’t thank me, I can see it between the glint in her earthy eyes.

We fucked, he fed me, cut me and I stayed the night, this is new territory for me

Rather than make a fool of myself, I crouch down and run my hands over Shades soft, wiry fur. “See you later boy.” I scratch under his chin, and he raises it, closing his eyes, groaning, and whimpering softly with every scratch. “My gosh you’re so cute aren’t you, yes, yes, yes you are.” I croon in a baby voice. Knowing Draven will probably berate

him on the walk back. Rising, I crane my neck, looking up at him. “I’ll uh, see you later, I guess.” I shrug, but before I get the chance to turn away from him, I’m immediately tugged back against his chest. Draven takes me into a bruising kiss, which brings a smile to my mouth. I'm unable to hold in a whimper as the memories of last night and this mor...

Ben, get the fuck off of me!” I shout in his face, yanking my arm from him and stepping back. The moment he lunges for me, the front door crashes open, the sound of it hitting the wall and booming out in the room. Before I know it, Draven has Ben’s throwing arm twisted at an ungodly angle behind his back, throwing him to the carpet below, pressing his black boot to his throat. Watching Ben struggle like a petrified bug under Draven’s boot shouldn’t be turning me on, but it is. Sasha is holding onto me, and we both watch as the giant who can barely stand to his full height in the room, stares down at Ben like he might kill him. “M-Max,” he stutters, choking through the words. “No!” Draven bellows snapping Ben to look at him immediately. “Quiet.” Draven’s voice now very calm. Ben lays there completely rigid, desperately trying to

breath but failing, due to the amount of pressure Draven is applying to his throat. “D-Draven,” I whisper, Sasha holding me, but I shrug from her hold and step toward him. Sliding my hand up to his shoulder, his head snaps to me, snatching my wrist in his free hand and my mouth immediately goes dry. He’s furious. His once grey eyes are now dilated so much, they’re black, void of any feeling or emotion except rage. “You have to let go,” I whisper again, “not of me but… of Ben. Please.” His heavy breathing doesn’t let up, his eyes narrowing slightly where he holds my wrist. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath, cocking his head from side to side, the bones in his neck crack in unison. Looking down, he slowly lifts his boot from Ben’s throat and as soon as he does, Ben begins hysterically coughing. Bending down further, he grabs Ben by his hoodie, dragging him to the front door. The unusual whistle blowing from his mouth, and I watch as Shade walks up the steps with primal instinct. Head low to the ground, snarling, and baring his incredibly sharp teeth, his

heckles standing on edge and drool falling from the side of his mouth the closer he gets. Ben yelps, screwing his eyes shut. “Touch what’s mine again and I’ll remove those fucking hands,” Draven growls merely an inch from his face. “Do you understand, boy?” Ben begins nodding furiously. “Yes, yes ok, I won’t, I swear.” Sasha and I standing there in complete silence. Throwing him to the floor, Draven steps over his body and out the front door. Jogging down the steps, he whistles the way he taught me earlier and Shade’s demeanor instantly changes back to the playful wolf I recognize. Turning on his hind legs and making his way to Draven’s side,...

I do know how to breathe, even if I’m struggling to do so. If I don’t, my rage will get the better of me and I will haul myself right back to that house and kill that son of a bitch for touching her. It will be just like that day when I finally got my revenge. My fury was justified, and cutting his throat for taking the only person I ever loved from me was the justice the system failed to give me. They took her from me, and with her, the heart I had told Max I don't possess.

Max is not my sister, but the moment she screamed for him to get off her, all I felt was rage and inadequacy. If I walked away, letting her find the strength to defend herself but failed, and something happened… I couldn’t see it happen again. Not another failure. She doesn’t strike me as the fragile type, but neither was Alyson. She was a fighter, and a fucking strong one at that. If I didn’t rush out of that house, I would've killed Ben. Max making me stop saved his worthless life. I’m pissed she would see him as someone worth saving. Death deserves to take that vile piece of shit before he has the ability to become what is inevitable. It's people like Ben who turn into psychopaths. He is dangerous, and is going to apologize to stay in arms reach of what is mine. Max will allow for that because he is what she would classify as a friend.

It didn’t matter how much I fought and what I did, I still lost her in the end. The money, the requests, nothing mattered because they took the only decent thing this world had. “Jesus, Big Guy, walk much!?” Fucking infuriating…

I’m no hero, but damn it, I’ll be the shield she never had.

No one understands the depths of my obsession for her,

Max is strong, but I will make her invincible. I may not believe in Gods, but I’ll make sure she is one tonight, and in the end when she has won, I’ll praise her as she deserves.

burly

“Do you think you are the only one that is great at stalking? She fell asleep with the TV on last night, and when she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, she brought her phone, using the light.” I’m honestly proud of him. That is some real creepy shit, and I applaud him for his means to get what he wants. I won’t tell Max; I’ll give Troy a fighting chance with Sasha. If my Little Sheep's best friend found out a short king was stalking around her rental, watching her sleep, it may turn her off. That one doesn’t strike me as the kind to enjoy it, not like my Little Sheep.

He pats my arm. “I got to get to my maze. I’ll have fun with your prey, but I won’t hurt her. However,” and in his worst Irish accent, he says, “she better not touch me pot-o-gold, or else!” I truly don’t know if I can stand any stiller. My face is frozen in a state of absolute distain. He did not just say that to me. “I’m going to erase that from my memory. Never say that dumb shit again.

LMAOAOOAOAOA

There are strings of lights across the tall canopies, illuminating the space and showcasing the area just before the next maze. Of course, the sign is all green with gold coins painted on it. The name of the maze; “Rainbow Road.” Troy, you need help my guy.

“My ankle, I think—” Glancing at her feet, I know without asking which one it is. Her extended left leg is a clear sign. I start untying her shoe, handling it as gently as I can, and slowly removing it. She doesn’t say a word, but I notice her knee locking as I finally take off the shoe.

Gently, I rest her foot down. “Don’t remove your sock, I’ll be right back.” Just as I stand, she asks. “Why? Why can’t I remove my sock?” “Because no one can look at your toes but me. Leave it, or else.

LMAOAOAOAOA

Despite how easy the maze seemed, it was still terrifying for anyone unprepared—everyone except my Max.

"my max"

“I need you to listen to me, and I swear you’ll get whatever it is you are hoping for at the end of this. You’ll come out alive, because…” Her eyes are full circles, and the gentle part of her lips make me pause, but only briefly. “Because you are capable of it. Can you do that for me?” Her hands have moved to my stomach, her eyes flicking between mine. “Yes…” “Very good,”

“Ok maze runners,” the woman speaks from the small podium, “The aim of the game, is to find Lephee’s pot of gold before he finds you. If you do, you’re entitled to fifty thousand dollars.“ The crowd of people murmur and cheer between them. “You will not get hurt... bad, because anything can happen. The leprechaun will stop at nothing to keep his money safe.” Rolling my eyes, I turn to Sasha, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this excited for something. “Uh, are you good?” Snapping her head to me she deadpans, “What do you mean?” “You look like you’re about to come in your thong and... wait a second.” I turn to face her as the woman on the podium keeps speaking. “Do you like the hunter in this Maze?” “What?... No, I don’t even know what—” She sighs. “Is it that obvious?“ She covers her face in embarrassment. Sasha liking a guy is utterly unprecedented. She’s bisexual sure, but after everything that went on with her and her ex-boyfriend, I was pretty sure she just

gave up on anything relating to guys for a while. The look on her face as she stares through her fingers at me, I don’t think I’ve seen her this excited over a guy before. I mean sure, he’s kind of good looking in that short king kind of way. He’s not short really, but in comparison to Draven—the walking tower—he’s tiny.

He steps out from the gap in the wall, and I can’t help but throw my head back and laugh. “What?” He asks, dropping character for a split second, looking down at himself. I point at him. “You look so fucking ridiculous bro.“ Clutching my stomach, I bend forward; still laughing at the sight in front of me. A slow and incredulous smile spreads on his face. “You’ll pay for that.” I hold my hands up and shake my legs. “I’m shaking in my fucking sneakers, little boy.” “Little boy?” He steps forward and I mirror him by stepping back. “What, because the one obsessed with you is a giant? That makes me little.” “No, you being little is what makes you little.”

this is everything I desire to have until I’ve taken my last breath. I don’t think I will ever get enough of her, and that's terrifyingly beautiful.

“I was raped, Draven!” I scream, turning to him. “Raped!” I scream the word in his face again, making sure he really hears it. “There... are you happy now?” The hair on my arms standing on end. “Got what you wanted?” My chest quivering with anxiety as the words float in the air between us. Dissipating into nothing. “Is that what you wanted to hear? Huh?” I narrow my eyes, taking a step toward him, slamming my palms against his chest. “Poor little fucked up Max and her redacted medical files. Stupid Max, the girl who got so drunk she didn’t even realize what the fuck was happening until it was too late!” I scream even louder, the vision of him so blurry as I swipe the tears from my eyes with anger and hate. “Does it make you fucking feel better now!” “Max, stop—” “Three days Draven!” I cry out, holding up my fingers in front of his face, really hoping to drive this home for him. “Three days they had me. I was eighteen.” I push him again; this time he willingly steps back. “I went to a party with my friends, that’s all... and I... I got a little drunk... and they… they took me!

I can feel my chest heaving with rage. He asked, he wanted this, so I’ll give it to him in full force. Every ugly fucking truth of what they did to me. This is me, my life, the past I worked so hard to forget because nothing can be done about it. Nobody knows except Sasha and the people who fucking caused it. With tears threatening to fall, I give him everything he wants. “You want to know what it was like? Hm?” I’m screaming for myself to stop, but I can’t. “Want to know how it felt to have their grimy hands all over my body, and how I couldn’t stop them?” He’s opened Pandora’s Box and it won’t close. The words flow from my chest like vomit, each letter burning another hole into my skin, another slice of hate within the very depths of what I have left of myself. “They burned me, cut me... Christ,” my chin quivers. “They fucked me every which way they wanted to. Sometimes they let others… join in. Sometimes, Draven, I wasn’t even fucking conscious.”

“When I screamed, cried out for help, that’s when it got worse. Funnily enough, the rape was the easy part. If I made any sound, other than moans of ecstasy…they waterboarded me, choked me, filled my body with alcohol and managed to get me addicted to drugs.” I laugh. “To fucking OPIOIDS!!” I release the final word in a gut-wrenching shout. “I’d never taken drugs in my life, I didn’t mean to drink that much, I… I thought I’d just let myself go at the frat party you know?” The space around me spinning, and I squeeze my eyes shut to gain some balance. The last thing I want to do is look like I still can’t deal with this because I can. “When I woke up, I was in the hospital, and I had no idea how long I’d been gone, or asleep for. The doctors said the police found me on the side of the road, outside a fucking crack den. They told me I was so badly beaten and so,” my voice cracks again. Jesus Max keep it together, you’re not weak anymore, remember. He wanted to know so I’ll tell him everything so he can walk away like everyone else.

“My insides were so messed up, Draven. I can never have kids. I’ll never know what it feels like to have a child because I had a full hysterectomy at eighteen. Do you understand what that feels like, to be told you will never be a parent?“ I huff, stepping back. Still, he says nothing, his body rigid as he continues to focus on nothing but me. Nothing behind his eyes. I didn’t expect a huge reaction from him, because let’s face it, the man really has no idea what anything other than rage is and he’s not even giving me that. That’s fine though, I don’t care. “My body was so addicted to the drugs, that by the time they found me passed out and unresponsive, I went into a cardiac arrest twice from withdrawal during my time in the coma. Then finally... after they let me go, I had a visit from a man, and that man was the father of one of the boys who did this to me. Real piece of work too.” A laugh escapes me then. “Told me if I wanted to live, I’d sign the NDA. So, I did.” I shrug, looking down at my feet.

Who?” he simply says, his chest rising and falling, as he takes breaths to calm himself. He did the same thing after Ben. “Jesus Christ Draven, does it matter?” “Yes!” His roar echoing through the trees, making me jump. “No!” I push him again, as hard as I can. “It doesn’t! I can’t touch him, and neither can you! Nobody can.” He’s too high up in his career, there are far too many people that watch out for this man, for anyone to get within a fucking hair’s width of him. This is the first time I’ve spoken about it...

That night, I... I tried to kill myself. Overdosed on my brother’s painkillers and a full bottle of Vodka. My brother, Jamie, he found me and had me admitted into the

psych ward where I tried again. This time, hanging myself, and when that didn’t work, I decided I just had to live with it.” I sniff, taking in another deep breath, needing to calm myself down as best as I can. Slowly releasing it from my nose, I close my eyes. “You told me, in your trailer,” I look up at him then, “that the scar on your neck and chest, is where they tried to take your heart... well I know what that feels like too, because I lost mine, when I found out it was my father who set it up.” Draven’s eyes widen like saucers, I see his foot twitch, but he stays stuck to his spot. I acknowledge the small widening of his eyes with a sarcastic laugh. “I know right, sucks to be me. He was in debt, and I was his only asset. So just like that,” I click my fingers, the only sound within the forest walls. “I was theirs.”

I was getting the money… I sniff, rubbing the back of my hand across my nose as I stand. If I had finished the mazes faster, before midnight—before they pulled the plug on my only means of living, I’d be only living with these monstrous tendencies you kept subdued, Alyson. “I’m sorry I failed you.” “It’s okay, Buba.” Fuck, I miss you. “It’s not, Sunflower.”

I’m now running, my phone against my ear calling Chris. “Draven, did you—” I cut him off. “Last request, please find me Max’s father.” “Find him, or… find him?” The second one was the one I wanted. Not for him to tell me where he last jerked off, no, but where he is. “Bring him to me, send Talon, whomever you need. I don’t give a fuck where he is or who he is; I expect him here within forty-eight hours.” “Alive?” I could hear his fingers smashing against his keyboard, and I suspect by the tone in my voice, that is why he is hasty. “Yes.” Then I hang up the phone.

It’s the tingling on my skin that grabs my attention first, reminding me of that all too familiar feeling from seven years ago. Of how it felt every time they injected me, the way I would scream and cry, and beg for them to let me go… but they never listened. They just laughed at me.