Chapter 12

Dan’s POV

We searched deeper and deeper into the forest. I had been informed that I had only been out for about five minutes and I only had a slight bump on my head. They had managed to capture the guy who had hit me and he was now safely in a police car, heading to a jail cell.

Half the police had left the search, either injured or assisting with the arrests. A few policemen had stayed back at the house, to comb the place for evidence. I was at the front of the search team, while the policemen lagged behind me, hunting for clues. Jillian, and my mum and dad had stayed back at the house with the other policemen.

Up ahead, a small clearing came into view. I slowly jogged towards it, but the search team did not follow. As I entered the clearing my heart dropped. Two girls were on the floor, curled up. My heart dropped as i realised who it was.

“Casey!” I yelled and rushed forward.

She jumped up and spun around. A look of pure shock was written all over her face as I rushed forward and embraced her.

“Casey, oh my Casey,” I whispered into her ear, tears of joy streaming down both our faces.

“I knew you would rescue me, Dan,” she mumbled, burying herself deeper into chest.

I kissed her forehead and stroked her hair. Casey was back – at last.

We stood like that for a few minutes, not uttering a single word to each other. We were so involved in each other, that we didn’t even notice that the police had rushed in and loaded the other girl onto a stretcher. She looked vaguely familiar and I realised who it was. Casey’s cousin, Jess.

Suddenly, one of the ambulance officers pulled me away from Casey. I took a good look at her and gasped at what I saw. She was skin and bone, and she was absolutely covered in blood. Her clothes were ripped and it looked like she had several open cuts across her stomach.

My stomach wretched at the thought of Casey being hurt by that monster, Scar. Her eyes were darting around nervously, and I went to reach for her hand for the officer slapped it away.

“We have to take care of her now,” he explained, loading Casey onto a stretcher.

The ambulance pulled up, siren and all and loaded Casey and Jess into the van. I jumped in with them, keeping my eyes on Casey. The ambulance officer gave me a disapproving look, but said nothing. The ambulance was rushing forward and sped down the narrow dirt road.

“Scar…” Casey trailed off, not ending her sentence. That monster, I thought.

“He’s been arrested, as with the rest of his gang,” I answered. Jess had not said a word since I had seen her.

“Um, Jess.. are you okay?” I question awkwardly.

She softly shakes her head no and the nurse notices. The nurse places a needle into both Jess and Casey and soon they are dozing off.

Before Casey shuts her eyes, she reaches out and grabs my hands tightly. She slowly closes her eyes, the drugs taking effect. I lean down and warmly kiss her on the cheek. Her grip on my hand lessens, but she doesn’t let go.

* * *

As the hospital loomed ahead, I could hear the officers in the front bark into their receivers. They were speaking to the hospital, warning them that we were arriving. As the ambulance pulls up outside the emergency room, the officers and the nurse jump out.

Doctors rush out of the emergency ward and I am lost in the midst of the crowd. Up ahead, I see Jess and Casey being wheeled into the emergency room so I sprint to keep up with them. The hospital doors burst open by the force of me running through them.

As I run up to the hospital receptionist, she doesn’t even blink an eye.

“Casey Blair. What room?” I gasp, leaning across the desk.

“Sorry, love. She’s in surgery right now,” she replies, staring at the computer screen.

“Damn,” I let out a defeated sigh and went over to sit down on one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and dialled Jillian’s number.

“Hello, Jillian. It’s Dan. Yeah, I found Casey.”