Chapter 3

Shock was spread across my face as I saw the angry man through the window in my room ready for the kill. But this time, it wasn't just a “where have you been!” type of thing, it was an “I see you through the window, kid, and I've got my baseball bat!” type of thing. 

I didn't know whether to go home and face my fear to get it over with, or to stay at Gabe's house and hide. If Phil found me though, I'd be in even bigger trouble than what I already was.

“Here, come with me.” Gabe pulled my hand through the bedroom door and down the stairs.

“Oh, kids, you're just in time! Pancakes are ready!” Mrs. Smith called from the kitchen. She flipped the last oval of batter over to the next side to bronze. It splattered and made a sizzling sound. Just as she did, there was a loud knock on the front. 

“I'll get it!” Mrs. Smith said.

“No, wait. Phil is at the door. Please don't answer it.” I gave her a meaningful look, but she did not respond. I had not told Gabe's mom about my secret that I had because if she did know it, she'd tell the police, and my dad would kill me. It was only between Gabe and I.

She walked towards the door and turned the knob as I hid behind the couch to peek out the window, just in case it wasn't Phil. 

I cringed.

“Why, hello Mr. White! What a pleasant surprise! Do come in!” 

“Well actually I'm here to take Annabel home.”

What a liar. He acted all polite in front of Gab's mom but was the devil with me alone in our house.

“Oh, I'm sorry. She is not here right now.” she started to shut the door, but as soon as she did, Phil threw it back open.

“Yes, I know she is. I saw her through her bedroom window because I was organizing her stuffed animals that she never puts away.”

I had to laugh at that one. He was such a bad liar although Gabe's mom seemed to be following along with it.

“Hm. Well she never stepped a foot into this house Mr. White. Do go home.” She shooed him away and shut the door. 

I peeked through the window one more time to see if he was gone fr sure. As I did, Gabe came to my side to look too. 

With him stomping his feet on the patio, you could tell Phil knew I was here. Which I was.

“You didn't tell your mom yet, did you?” I whispered.

“No.” he answered in a quiet voice.

“Oh, okay.”

Phil was walking down the sidewalk for just a couple of steps until he turned around, his face raging with anger. I could tell that his eyes were on me, which were not a good thing. He stomped back toward the house patio and knocked angrily on the door. Bang, bang, bang!

“Gabe,” I hesitated, “What should I do?” Fear was rushing through me because the thought of what I'd look and feel like afterward was almost worse than the fact of Phil killing my mother. Get it over with. Just kill me so I don't need to suffer in this pain for the rest of my life.

“I know. Follow me.” he grabbed my hand as we sneaked upstairs.

I looked back seeing that Phil was still knocking.

“Mom, stall on Mr. White!” Gabe whisper-called.

She nodded.

Gabe pulled me upstairs and back too his room.

“These were never good anyway.” He commented as he ripped one of his closet doors off the wall. “Watch.” He carried the white door toward the window with one arm.

I was confused at first until I saw him open his window and sliding the wooded door across to my bedroom window. It was still open from when Phil was yelling and “organizing her stuffed animals that she never puts away.” 

The door barely reached mine but it still had just enough support so that a one hundred pound weight could sit on it.

“Ready?” He asked. 

I new what he was thinking. I'd sneak across the plank and be in my room pretend to read a book until finally Phil would come barging home, and I'd say I was there the whole time.

“Ready.”