I walked over to my best friend Haylee’s house in the sunny morning heat. Even at ten, the sun could cook an egg. With Haylee’s present in my hand, I skipped over the flower bed out side the door.

I knocked on the door, opening it calling, “I’m home!” Hayle was laughing from the kitchen table eating waffles in her pajamas. “Happy birthday Haylee!” I yelled as she got up to give me a hug. I handed her the present— a small bag about the size of my small hand.

“Thanks, Brian.” Haylee said opening her present. She pulled out a gold chain. On the chain was a small gold half-heart with the word ‘best’. “Oh my gosh.” She exclaimed. Haylee put it around her neck as she eyed me. “Where’s yours?” She asked. I pulled out my key chain-key chain and pulled off the other side of the heart and snapped the magnet together.

“Hi Brian,” Haylee’s mom said coming around the corner.

“Mom! Look what Brian gave to me!” Haylee lifted the gold half heart in her hand.

“Oh my. Nice taste, Brian.” Mrs Withworth smiled at me and began doing the dishes again.

~~

“Brian, run!” Haylee yelled at me. I looked behind me to see someone running at me faster than I could flee. My heart rate sped as I turned to run away.

“Ahh!” I screamed s the person touched my shoulder.

“Ha! Brian, you’re it with us,” Ranee, a girl in our neighbourhood, said as she smirked.

We were playing a big street game of Man Hunt with everyone on our street. Since out street was small and every house had at least one kid our age and was friends with Haylee, we planned a huge Man Hunt game for her birthday.

Running through backyards and lawns, children screaming were scattered everywhere. No one on our street cared if they were in yards, as long as they knew them and didn’t care what they were doing.

Finally Moms and Dads started coming out at twilight, pulling their kids inside for bed. I met up with Haylee at the park on our street, and started walking back home.

“See ya, Haylee,” I called with a smile. “Happy birthday.” I walked into the house, climbing up the stairs, falling on my bed and falling asleep.

AN: This takes place in 2009, when Haylee and Brian are 15 ;) hope you like it so far! <(^)

Thump! I fell off my bed into a lump on the floor. Slowly getting up, I walked down the stairs to get breakfast. The first thing I noticed when I got into the kitchen was the picture of Dad hanging above the stove— gone.

Mom had been taking away things that paid resemblance to Dad, whether it was a letter or his picture. Ever since the day after my eighth birthday when Dad brought me to work. He had been a dentist in the military, as well as an Army soldier. Dad gave me a whitening on my teeth, and ever since that day I had seen him less and less, until my ninth birthday I only saw him every few months. Now I see him a few times a year.

Mom never talked about him in public and when she talked about him in private she made sure no one was there.

I pulled out two waffles from the freezer and put them in the toaster. I glanced at the stove clock that read 2:05 p.m. What?! I thought. I never slept that late.

All of a sudden the door in the kitchen opened and in came Brian. “I’m home!” He said like he had since the summer of grade 2. I grinned as I stood to give him a hug.

“Hey Brian,” I said with a grin. My waffles popped, scaring me half to death.

“Nice jammies,” he said with a smirk. I looked down to see my pink American Eagle shirt and blue and pink spotted pajama pants.

“Ha, thanks,” I muttered. I pulled out my waffles, pouring half the bottle of sourp out in my plate. I finished my breakfast and headed up the stairs to change into real clothes.

Brian went to the living room to turn on some TV while he waited. I pulled out a purple t-shirt from Garage, and pulling on a pair of short jean shorts. Thank God I shaved my legs last night, I thought. I went to my small bathroom in the corner of my room, washing my face. I looked into the mirror.

A pretty face smiled back. My tanned skin looked dark against my white teeth and pale blue eyes. My lips looked full and only needed a little touch of lip gloss. I took some Silly Bandz out of a drawer, brushing my red hair into place. I touched up my make-up and put some bobby pins into my hair when I heard Brian call to me.

“Hey Hay, look at this.” I ran down the stairs, not wanting to miss what Brian had seen. I turned the corner into the living room where Brian had turned on the news.

“Breaking news,” The anchor lady said into the mic, her brown hair whipping in the wind out side a house. “There seems to be some kind of stalker looking for someone. A man apparently barged into this house—” she gestured behind her “—looking for a young girl. He ran up to the 14 year old Haylee Worthwith and snapped her neck, killing her instantly.”

My jaw dropped. “Woah,” Brian whispered. The camera man took a close-up of the house and I fell off the arm of the couch. “Hey, isn’t that just down the street from here?” Brian asked, wide eyed. I slowly nodded my head as the lady on the news started talking again.

“After the man killed Haylee he ripped out all her teeth, checking them one by one. This security camera video is what gave us answers.” The lady held up a CD. “Although the man is in the video he still could not be identified. The only thing the man clearly said was ‘Where is the real Haylee Mazy Withworth?!’.”

I fell on the the ground shaking. I, Haylee Mazy Withworth was being hunted and wanted dead.

“Haylee?” Brian shouted in my ear. I could hear him but he sounded so far away. My vision didn’t get blury, but I didn’t want to move or talk. All of a sudden some one busted through the door.

Brian jumped to his feet pulling his pocket knife from the holder on his belt. He raised it while putting a hand protectively above me. My mom walked through the door, dropping the groceries in her hands.

“Haylee!” My mother screamed. Brian dropped his hand and put away the knife, calming my mom. She finally calmed down enough for Brian to tell her what had happened. Hearing it for the second time made my heart rate speed up. Mom got me to walk around the kitchen to get the blood flowing again. She then sat both Brian and I down on the couch.

“I’m sorry you had to go though that sweetie,” Mom said, resting a hand on my knee. She looked between Brian and I. “But I don’t doubt some one is looking for you.” I froze. Brian felt me tense and took my hand in his. "You see, when you went to your father’s office to get your teeth whitened after your eightth birthday, he put some thing in one of your teeth. He had to put a chip somewhere special where no one would find out, but had to be with some one he trusted with his life.

He had to leave more after that, trying to convince anyone who would listen why you were the best choice. Most people didn’t think it was a good idea, so his boss said he would have to spend more time away from you."

Brian squeezed my hand as tears fell down my cheek. I understood why my dad would do that, use me to protect something. I was great at lying and I could disguise my self in ten minutes with just anything in the same room as me.

“Now you have to go to your room and pack a small emergency pack in case the man finds you. After you do that I will show you what’s next. Brian, your dad knows what has been going on. He knows because he used to work with Haylee’s dad. He will be fine with you going with her if anything happens. I suggest you get a pack too.” Brian nodded his head.

“Yeah,” he said. “But I’m not going to leave Haylee by herself.”

“I understand,” Mom said again. “I will set up a spare mattress in her room when you go to your house for tonight.”

Brian stood up, pulling me up the stairs. I grabbed a back-pack the size of an old computer monitor. I put a few shirts, a pair of pants, lots of underwear and lady protection into the pack. Brian took out a razor and a role of toilet paper from the bathroom and put them in. Lastly, a bunch of hand sanitizer. I went to the fake safe on my dresser and pulled out the $1,204.86 I had saved up since third grade.

“Okay,” I said ,stuffing in the money, “I think I’m ready.” Brian and I walked over to his house making sure our hoods were up and covering our faces.

Haylee and I made it into the living room of my house to find my dad watching a re-run of the new cast about Haylee Worthwith.

“Hey, Dad,” I sighed, plopping on the couch. Haylee sat down next to me.

“So did Mrs Withworth tell you?” Dad said, gesturing to the TV. Haylee nodded, more tears running down her face. “You best be getting a safety bag, just in case. Your Mom staying in with you, Haylee?”

“No,” I said, sitting up. “I am.” Dad nodded like he understood. I held out my hand for Haylee and we headed up stairs. We turned into my room and took out what I needed for ‘running away’. I took out a few shirts, some shorts and jeans, tooth brush and toothpaste and socks and underwear.

“You need a bag,” Haylee said to me, gesturing to her bag that was half empty. But I couldn’t put my stuff in there in case we got separated. I searched my room, looking for a bag but couldn’t find one.

Briing, briing Haylee’s phone rang. She put it on speaker so I could hear.

“Hello?” Haylee answered.

“Haylee.” Mrs Withworth said. “Is Brian there?”
“Yeah,” I said into the phone.
“Good. Before something happens I need to tell you something. There was another news segment on a few minutes ago. Halie Withworth, our neighbor, was killed like Haylee Worthwith by the same man. He will try this house as soon as the cops are off his trail. You need to get as much money as you can for gas, food and a place to sleep. If you go to the House Hold Inn a few hours drive from here, you will find a room waiting for you.
Sign in as Luke Hale and tell them you lost your room key. Go to room 35D. Under the coffee maker there is money, passports, everything you need. A new phone is wrapped in the towels in the drawer for the two of you. Call me on the number programed in the phone when you are safe and nobody can hear you.”

A crash came from the other side of the line. “Mom?!” Haylee said, crying hard now. “Mom, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Sweetie. You stay safe. Don’t trust anyone!” The line went dead.

“Mom!” Haylee scream, running to the door.

“No!” I yelled, running to shut the door before she got out. Haylee started blubbering like a baby. “Your mom is fine, Haylee. She knows what she is doing. Now lets go look for a bag to put these clothes in.” I pulled Haylee in for a hug, not caring that she was getting tears and snot all over my shirt.

I pulled away, holding her face in front of me. We were the same height, so I could easily look into her eyes. “You’re fine; your mom’s fine; I’m fine. Everyone is safe, but if we stay here for too long you could be in danger.” Haylee nodded in agreement.

I started towards the door, holding it open for her. We headed across the hallway to my dads room for bag. I walked into the closet and heard a huge bang come from downstairs.

I heard a big slam of a door come from down stairs.

“Where is she?!” A man’s voice commanded. I held my hand to my mouth to hide the quiet scream. Brian ran to the bedroom door, silently closing and locking it. The door was glass with a curtain over.

“Brian,” I franticly whispered, “How is a glass door and curtain going to protect us?” I was bawling my brains out at this point. Brian shushed me and pulled a piece of paper off the dresser along with a pen.

It’s bullet proof he wrote. Brian ran the closet and pulled out a small bag the size of mine. He stuffed everything in the bag as things crashed downstairs.

“Say this when I say,” Brian silently whispered in my ear. He scribbled something on the paper.

“Come on Haylee, I know you’re here!” The male voice came again.

Brian started pulling things from everywhere. He took blankets and pillows off the bed, piling them on the floor beside a window.

“Did you put your talkie in your pack?” Brian asked me. I nodded. “Good. I did too.”

There were feet stomping up the stairs. The man yelled and screamed. I just hoped Brian’s dad had gotten a safe hiding place. The man went to every room on the second floor, then came to the room we were in. He tried to open the door, finding it was locked.

“Come on Haylee! Don’t want your mother hurt, do you?” I screamed, and fell to the floor. Brian ran after me and pulled me up. He shoved the paper in my hands.

I looked at it and waited for Brian to start. He picked up a glass vase and smashed it to the window. The window fell into shreds, the perfect way to escape.

“What are you doing?” I screamed, reading off the paper.

“Jumping!” Brian said. He threw some pillows and blankets down to make it sound like he jumped.

“No!” I yelled. “Wait, I don’t want to break an ankle!” Brian shoved more blankets and pillows out the window as I stuck my head out and screamed.

Brian turned off the closet light and silently pulled me in with him. There was a door I didn’t see before in the back that was by the super thick wall by the bathroom. Brian slipped me in, following behind me.

The small room had computer screens and buttons covered one wall, while doors and signs above them covered the others. I collapsed on the floor, shaking from fear. Some one was looking for me; some one wanted to kill me.

Brian pulled me up to sit in a computer chair. He pushed some buttons and security videos came from every screen. The kitchen was torn apart, the living room looked like a hurricane went through, and all the bedrooms were destroyed. The man was nowhere to be seen on the videos.

“We have to get out of here,” Brian said, looking like a had just ran a marathon. He took my hand with a firm grip and pulled me to a door labeled ‘STAIRS’. We ran down some secret stairs and found a door out back. The way to the hotel was just through the woods, but by foot the journey would take all night.

“My neighbors have a car. They said if I ever need it for an emergency to take it and they gave me an extra key.” I pulled out my key chain from my back pocket. Brian raised his eyebrows and started through the woods to the house. We ran into the car, sticking a note on the window of the empty-for-the-summer home.

“You okay?” Brian asked me as we left town to the inn. I nodded and drifted to sleep, having flash-backs of the horrifying day.