AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Abby, there’s nowhere to run.” His accent was thick, but the threat was clear.
Her protest caught in her throat, coming out as a hysterical whine. Ferocious barking sounded at her feet as Bruce tried to get his snout into the narrow gap between the door and the frame.
The gap began to widen. Her thundering heart clambered out of time with Bruce's barking and her strangled screams. She heard shouting from across the road. A neighbour? She wanted to yell for them to call the police, but her voice refused to work.
A car backfired somewhere outside. Suddenly, the door slammed closed. Her hands shook so hard it took three attempts to lock the door. Abby stumbled backwards, her feet refusing to cooperate. She fell heavily onto her backside, a crack of pain shooting through her elbow as she wondered what the hell had just happened?
Bruce’s barking reverberated painfully in her head. Was the man gone?
The doorknob twisted, restricted by the lock. Loud knocking.
All of the air left her lungs. She tried to drag herself backwards.
Please leave me alone.
Get up, stand up.I need to hide.
“Abby!”
Her lungs burned. She pushed herself up, tumbling into the wall.
More knocking while Bruce barked and barked. “Abby, it’s me. It’s Scott. Let me in!”
She leaned against the wall, forcing herself to breathe. The air felt like razor blades in her throat. The barking hammered inside her head.
“Abby!”
She scrambled to the door and tried to pull it open. Locked. She’d locked it.
“I’m coming.” It came out as a whisper.
Finally, she twisted the lock and stepped back. The door flew open.
“Abby? What happened? Are you okay?” Scott’s eyes were wide, his face flushed.
Her whole body began to shake, her words trapped inside.
Scott reached for her, holding her arms as his eyes searched for injuries. “Baby, are you hurt?”
She tried to shake her head.
“There’s blood on the front step. Is it yours?”
Whose blood? Was Bruce hurt? The barking had stopped. She felt his paws on her leg, his big doggy eyes staring up at her as he softly whined.
“A man.” The words collided as they left her mouth. “A man. He tried to get inside.”
“Which man? Did you know him?” Scott still held her arms.
“I saw him once before,” she whispered. “At the cafe.”
A siren sounded in the distance.
Scott pulled her in against his chest, his arms encircling her. “It’s okay, baby,” he murmured into her hair. “You’re safe now.”
She clung to him.Am I?
Even though they’dbeen delayed at Rachel’s house for another hour while the police took her statement and searched the property, her mother hadn’t been moved out of emergency by the time Abby and Scott returned to the hospital. This time, they were able to sit with her as Rachel slept.
