Chapter Twenty-Three

I bet you didn't suspect that was going to happen.

I wiped the last stream of tears from my cheeks before I left the car. I grabbed my bag and started walking up the sidewalk. The house was dark, a little too dark. Something wasn’t right. My feet picked up speed and I ran into the house. There was screaming from in the back of the house. It was Becca. I dropped my bag and started running to her screeches. “Becca!” I called. The screams were coming from down the hall. They suddenly stopped when I yelled and I heard someone crash through the backdoor. Becca sat in the center of the hall crying. Blood was running from the top of her head. Her small body was shaking on the floor. “Becca, what happened?” sweat was pouring from her burning forehead. I tried to wipe the hair out of her face. The blood covered the palm of my hand in red sticky liquid.

She sobbed as I lifted her limp lifeless body. Inside my heart began to pound. I heard movement in the back yard. Quietly I sat her down and kissed the top of her head. The muscles in my legs quickly twitched as I ran to the backyard. A dark shadow figure was making its way through the yard and to the driveway. Just as I opened the door I saw my silver car backing out of the driveway. My sneakers screeched against the pavement as I tried to catch the car. The red tail lights flashed at the next stop sign and flicked off within a second.

There were more important matters than that man right now. I jumped back to the garage and opened the door. There were no cars. I had to get Becca to the hospital. Her head had been seriously cut. I could still hear her sobbing from inside.

I leapt through the door and ran for her. “Becca,” I called again. She screamed when I came around the corner. “Becca it’s okay, it’s me.” Her little arms reached out to me and I picked her little body up. The muscles under her bruised skin shook. “Becca you need to tell me what happened.”

“Dad,” was all she said and I knew exactly what happened. There was no time to talk, we needed to walk now. My arms curled around her and I grabbed one of my jackets. I put the light fabric over her. Carefully she placed her bleeding head on my shoulder. She was safe now, she knew that.

My knees picked up as we walked down the street. I tried every number in my address book. Where was everyone? No one in my family picked up. Finally I dialed a helpless number. “Bridger, its Russ.” Bridger realized the intensity in my voice.

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s done it again.” Becca was still crying on my shoulder. Bridger heard the sobs and he knew exactly what I meant. “No one’s picking up. I need to get her to the hospital and dad’s taken my car.”

Bridger sighed, “I’ll call everyone again. You just get her there.”

The phone clicked off and I knew he would bring me help. It was about ten miles to the closest hospital. This would be a long walk through narrow streets and neighborhoods. The air was starting to freeze. The late autumn air nipped at the top of my ears. I needed to get Becca to the hospital and fast.

When I tried to run Becca complained of the pain. I tried to smooth my gait and carefully walk. Her sobs never seemed to stop no matter how softly I walked. No one seemed to be out. Where could everyone be?

After about 15 minutes of walking, the first pair of headlights appeared in front of me. My heart erupted and I started running towards it. I ended up in the center of the road. “Please help me,” I called loudly. The headlights started to slow and pull over to my side of the road.

As the lights got closer I noticed the truck was rather familiar. Parker rolled down his window. “Get in the car, Russ.”

“No,” I hissed and started walking away.

“This isn’t a time for our disputes she needs to get to the hospital.” Parker was leaning out the window.

Carefully I put Becca down on the ground. “You know Parker right?” Her tiny head nodded up and down. “Get in his truck and he’ll take you to the hospital. I’m going to go find mom.” Her lower lip bubbled out in a frown. “He’ll take care of you Becca.” I carefully pushed her back and she started walking toward the truck. Parker reached over and opened the door for her.

“Russ, get in the truck. You’re coming with us.” I flicked my head and started walking back toward the house. “Russ!” Parker yelled and started following me with the truck. “Russ, get over here.” Slowly he pulled the truck next to my body.

I stopped and looked up at him. “Your sister needs you. You and I can put whatever it is behind us. We need to think about your family right now.”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing!” I yelled. “I need to go find my mom and make sure nothing has happened to her either.”

Parker looked down at me. His blue eyes flickered with fear. “Russ, please.”

I quieted my tone and looked up to him. “Please just take her.”

“Russ, I’m sorry.” He said and touched the top of my hand wrapped around his window. I didn’t move it.

Suddenly, just as I was about to decide to go with them, around the corner came two bright head lights. The tires squealed on the asphalt. Quickly the car gained speed and I realized the headlights were headed for me. “Russ,” Parker yelled loudly - he had noticed the same thing.

My feet stepped up onto the trucks step. I wasn’t fast enough. The last thing I saw was my father peering at me through the lights of my own car.

The hood of the car slammed into my left side, hard. It pinned me up against the dark truck and slid me between the metal of both cars. My head jerked and slammed into the window. Glass cut through the thick skull protecting my brain. My body flipped up over the car and I rolled over onto the pavement. The last thing I remember was hitting the asphalt- pain exploding through my left side.

 

Red and blue lights flashed over my head. “Russ,” the voice was so smooth, so comforting. A hand touched my own. I wrapped my fingers around the soft palm and I didn’t let go. I didn’t let go.

Author's Note

How are you liking it so far?

Reviews

[Rhea752]

WHY THE HECK DID YOU STOP!!!!!!! :(

[Shawn Riley]

AH KATIE!!!! I NEED TO HERE THE REST OF THIS STORY! It is amazing!!!! Holy cow!

[alec merdin]

Its awesome BUT YOU CAN NOT KILL RUSS i am begging you it would be too sad for something so beautiful to end that way