Free The Ensnared by Palvi Sharma

once.
     
    Melissa ran a hand through her hair
and felt her nausea returning. She took a sip of juice and was relieved when it
passed away.
     
    “It was when they ran over a
pedestrian that the sheriff came up with a plan that would end this once and
for all.” Mark said. His voice grew strange as he said this and Melissa pushed
away her plate.
     
    “What did he do?” she asked.
     
    “He greased up the roads leading to
this street. He even tried icing the roads but it was the middle of July
and...”
     
    Melissa nodded quickly.
     
    “Anyway, the bikers came in at the
exact same time they always did and started to throw bricks on the store
windows and stink bombs at the people walking by. They were so engrossed in what
they were doing that they weren’t watching where they were going and skidded on
the road.”
     
    Melissa felt her breath caught up
in her throat. “Did the sheriff manage to catch them?”
     
    “That had been the plan.” Mark
explained. “But the bikers had been drunk and weren’t wearing any helmets.
Their bikes skidded and they all crashed into each other. None of them
survived. The sheriff couldn’t let this get out; that he had made such a big
mistake, so he had their bodies buried at the islet.”
     
    “The islet where I was? What
exactly are you trying to tell me?” Melissa asked.
     
    Mark leaned back on his seat and
took a deep breath. “That the riders who died that day were the people you were
with two nights ago. They’re all back from the dead!”

Chapter Fourteen
     
    Melissa sat with her head in her
hands and instantly felt her mouth starting to water as the aroma of baked
potatoes reached her nose. Mark put a basket of buns in front of her and a
plate of hamburgers. She eyed them hungrily, wanting to gorge on them so
desperately, but holding back only because it seemed weird that Mark was making
a feast for her. She almost felt like he was fattening her up before a
sacrifice.
     
    Sacrifice- the very words that had
sent cold shivers up her spine when Rafe had used them to explain why the city
had suddenly turned their backs on them. Melissa picked up a bun, sliced it in
half and started to apply mustard on it as Mark put down a bowl of salad in
front of her. It was very quiet in the restaurant and all she could hear was
the soft ticking of the wall clock as it read just after one.
     
    “What about your friends?” She
asked.
     
    Mark took out the tray of potatoes
from the oven and proceeded to put them in a dish. “We’ve had a heavy
breakfast. You need to eat. You look starved.”
     
    Melissa licked her lips and bit
into her burger. “This is really good. At least your cooking skills are coming
to some use.”
     
    Mark gave her an amused glance and
then sat down across her. “I never intended to join this school.” He said,
pouring water into her glass.
     
    Melissa took a small sip of water
and twirled it around her mouth before swallowing the cool liquid. “What do you
mean? When we graduated you did express your desire to join this very school.”
     
    “I only picked this because I
thought you wouldn’t follow me here.” Mark said as he put ketchup into his
plate. “I was trying to protect you from all this.”
     
    Melissa put down her bun and
reached for a napkin. “You were trying to break up with me in High School?” Her
heart beat faster as she waited for his answer.
     
    Mark put his hand gently over hers.
“I had to come here to do this. This is my calling; I was the only one who
could stop this. I was hoping like crazy that you would refuse to come with me
or that your parents would be successful in stopping you, but you were
persistent.”
     
    “Your calling?” And then she
frowned at him as the rest of his words settled in. “Are you trying to say that
I’m clingy?” Melissa asked and tried to pull her hand away, but Mark held on.
     
    “I love you.” Mark said earnestly.
“And yes, this is my calling.” He hesitated and Melissa