Love Alarm
The gentle breeze of early evening carried the faint sounds of the city as Edward Collins parked his car along the edge of a secluded park. He had asked Mabel to meet him here, away from the eyes and ears of their classmates and the nosy halls of Kingswell High. The park was quiet, illuminated by a few scattered lampposts, and the tall trees shielded it from the bustling life of the town. It was a place he often came to when he needed to think, a refuge from the chaos of his daily life.
Edward checked his phone for the time, tapping the screen anxiously. He had texted Mabel earlier, and she had agreed to meet him, but now, ten minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of her. His mind raced with worry, replaying the events from the night before. He couldn't shake the image of the figure who had followed her, nor the terrified look on Mabel's face when he had found her in the alley.
He heard the soft rustling of leaves behind him and turned quickly, his heart pounding. Mabel emerged from the shadows, her slender figure outlined against the dim glow of the streetlights. She looked different tonight-more guarded, as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.
"Hey," she said softly, stepping closer.
Edward's concern deepened as he studied her face. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she looked like she hadn't slept. "I wasn't sure if you were going to come," he admitted, his voice filled with both relief and worry.
Mabel crossed her arms over her chest, her expression unreadable. "I almost didn't."
Edward frowned. "Why?"
She hesitated, glancing around the empty park. "Because I don't want you getting involved, Edward. Last night..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked down at the ground. "It was a mistake. You shouldn't have been there."
Edward took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. "But I was there, and I'm not sorry about it. Whoever that guy was, he was after you, Mabel. You can't just keep running from this."
Her eyes flashed with anger. "You don't understand. This isn't something you can fix. It's not some high school drama we can just talk through. This is real-dangerous."
Edward shook his head, frustration bubbling up inside him. "Then tell me what's going on! I've seen enough to know that you're in trouble, but you keep shutting me out."
Mabel let out a harsh laugh, though there was no humor in it. "You don't want to know. Trust me, Edward. You don't."
Edward's jaw clenched. He had never been the kind of person to back down from a challenge, and Mabel's resistance only made him more determined to help her. "Maybe not, but I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."
For a long moment, the only sound between them was the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. Mabel stared at him, her expression hard, but there was something else in her eyes-a flicker of vulnerability, of someone who was tired of fighting alone.
Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine. But if I tell you, you have to promise me something."
Edward nodded. "Anything."
Mabel took a deep breath, glancing over her shoulder as if to make sure no one was listening. "You have to promise you won't tell anyone. Not Jason, not Sherilyn, not even your family. No one."
Edward hesitated for a split second before nodding again. "I promise."
Mabel exhaled slowly, the weight of her decision pressing down on her. She walked over to a nearby bench, gesturing for Edward to sit beside her. As they sat in the stillness of the night, she began to speak.
---
"I'm not just running from some guy," Mabel began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm running from an entire organization."
Edward's eyes widened, but he remained silent, listening intently.
Mabel continued, her hands trembling slightly as she spoke. "My family... we used to live a normal life. My dad was a businessman, and my mom ran a small art gallery. But then, a few years ago, everything changed. My dad got involved with these people-dangerous people. He made some bad deals, got into debt with the wrong kind of people, and now... they want to collect."
Edward's mind raced as he tried to process what she was saying. "Who are they?"
"They call themselves the Order," Mabel said, her voice filled with disdain. "It's a criminal syndicate that operates under the radar. They control everything-money, politics, businesses. My dad owed them millions, and when he couldn't pay, they came after us."
Edward's stomach churned. "What happened?"
Mabel's eyes darkened. "They killed my father. Made it look like an accident. After that, they went after my mom and my brother. We had to leave everything behind-our house, our lives. We've been on the run ever since."
Edward felt a surge of anger at the injustice of it all. "And the guy who was following you last night? Is he one of them?"
Mabel nodded. "He's a tracker. The Order has people everywhere, and they won't stop until they've found us. I thought we were safe for a while, but it looks like they've found us again."
Edward's mind whirled with questions, but one thing was clear: Mabel was in far more danger than he had ever imagined. And now, he was a part of it.
---
"So what do we do?" Edward asked, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions brewing inside him.
Mabel shook her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "There's no 'we,' Edward. You don't understand how dangerous these people are. They'll kill anyone who gets in their way."
Edward grabbed her hand, his grip firm but gentle. "I don't care. I'm not going to let you face this alone."
Mabel looked at him, her defenses crumbling. For the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope-a hope that maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to keep running by herself. But she knew better than to believe in fairy tales. The Order wasn't something you could fight with hope or courage. It was a machine, and once you were caught in its gears, there was no escape.
"I can't let you do that, Edward," she whispered. "You don't know what you're getting into."
Edward's eyes flashed with determination. "Maybe not, but I'm not going anywhere."
Mabel looked away, her heart torn between fear and something else-something she hadn't felt in a long time. Trust.
Before she could respond, the sound of a car approaching broke the tension between them. Mabel stiffened, her body going rigid as she glanced toward the street.
Edward followed her gaze, his heart pounding. A black SUV had pulled up to the curb, its windows tinted, its engine idling. Something about the car sent a chill down his spine.
"They found me," Mabel whispered, her voice barely audible.
Edward's mind raced. They had to get out of here-now.
---
Without thinking, Edward grabbed Mabel's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, we need to go."
Mabel didn't argue. They sprinted across the park, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the quiet night. The SUV's engine roared to life, and the car began to follow them, its headlights cutting through the darkness like a predator stalking its prey.
Edward's heart pounded in his chest as they ran, his grip on Mabel's hand tightening. He didn't know where they were going or how they were going to escape, but he knew one thing for sure: he wasn't going to let the Order take her.
Not now, not ever.
They darted through the trees, the shadows swallowing them up as the SUV's headlights swept over the park. Edward could hear the sound of tires screeching as the car sped toward them, and for a moment, he thought they were done for.
But then, up ahead, he saw a small opening in the fence that bordered the park-a narrow gap that they could just barely squeeze through.
"Over there!" Edward shouted, pointing toward the gap.
Mabel nodded, her breath coming in ragged gasps as they sprinted toward the fence. With one last burst of energy, they dove through the gap, tumbling onto the other side just as the SUV skidded to a stop.
For a moment, they lay there, panting and gasping for air. Edward's heart raced, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He glanced at Mabel, who was staring at the fence, her face pale.
"We can't keep running like this," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Edward sat up, his eyes burning with resolve. "Then we'll fight."
---
To be continued....