Page 31 of Finding Noah

They need me to save them.

I took off running, bolting through the raindrops and keeping to the back of the houses, all lined up in a row along Daffodil Lane. My sneakers slipped on sodden grass, my ankles twisted in uneven dips of land hidden in the darkness, but I didn't fall. I pumped my arms, fought against the burn in my lungs, and ran until I reached the next row of little houses on Tulip Boulevard.

Soldier had told me to keep running. He never told me to stop. Yet I had to duck behind a mailbox and quickly dial 911, not sure I could do it while running, blinded by the heavy rainfall. I hoped Soldier wouldn't be mad at me for it.

Once the phone was ringing, I stood again and kept moving, now on the sidewalk.

“Nine-one-one. Please state your emergency.”

“My dad has a gun, and I think he wants to kill me and my mom!” I cried, running down the rain-slicked sidewalk, splashing through puddles until I came to the entrance of the community we lived in.

“Okay, honey, can you tell me your name?”

“Noah!”

“All right, Noah. How old are you?”

“I-I'm thirteen,” I answered, although I didn't know why it mattered.

“Where are you? Are you at home with your mom and dad?”

“N-no,” I stammered, running along the highway, eerily quiet but well lit with streetlamps. “My … my mom's … boyfriend … Soldier Mason … he gave me his phone a-a-a-and told me to … he told me to run. He told me to go to the police.”

“Okay. Take a deep breath, sweetheart. Where is your mom? Is she with your dad?”

I did as she’d said and filled my lungs, even as I ran. Then, as I exhaled, I tried to explain as clearly as possible. “We were at Soldier's house. Dad came with a gun. Soldier got me outside and told me to run. Dad is at the house with Mom and Soldier. He's going to kill them!”

Soldier had told me Mom would be okay.

But what if he can't save her? What if he can’t save himself?

“What is the address, Noah? Do you know the address?”

“Y-yes—1111 Daffodil Lane i-in River Canyon.”

“Okay, honey. What is your dad's name?”

“Seth.”

“And your mom's?”

“Ray, um … Rain.”

“And, I’m sorry, what did you say the soldier’s name was?”

I shook my head frantically. “H-he's not a soldier. His name is Soldier.”

“Okay, honey. We're sending someone over now, okay? Where are you? You said you were going to the police?”

I nodded, my lower lip starting to tremble again, realizing now how alone I was. It was so late, so dark, and I was alone.

Is Mom dead? Is Soldier?

What is happening?

“Y-yeah,” I choked out. “Soldier told me to go get help.”

“Are you away from the house?”