Chapter 24
24
S tormy’s feet clapped against the cracked concrete as she maneuvered through the abandoned warehouse district, her breath coming in quick, shortbursts. The scent of rust and mildew lingered in the air. She kept to the shadows, her eyes darting between the decaying structures, searching for the safest direction to follow.
The warehouses, though weathered and hollowed out, still held a strange sort of weight against the moonlit night sky.
Some were leaning at odd angles, their roofs caving in. Others stood tall and defiant, but their windows were nothing but shattered frames, some completely boarded up, others offering only glimpses into the emptiness within.
Her pulse was hammering, and the last thing she wanted was to be caught.
Ahead a gap between two of the more solid-looking buildings opened up. There the concrete had been crumbled away, leaving a patch of uneven, exposed earth. She took a quick breath, steeling herself, and dashed toward it.
She made it to the gap and crouched behind a half-broken wall that had once been part of a loading dock. From here she could see the road ahead and hear the distant hum of traffic.
Keep moving, she reminded herself, scanning for her next escape route. The longer she stayed put, the more dangerous it would be.
Her heart pounded in her chest as a car’s headlights washed over the dilapidated warehouses, making the shadows stretch and shrink around her. She could feel the rough, cold concrete against her skin as she pressed herself against the building, making herself as flat as possible, barely daring to breathe. The sound of the car’s tires driving on the uneven pavement echoed through the silence, growing louder as it approached, then quieter as it passed.
For a brief moment she thought about calling out for help. But the risk was too great. The last thing she needed was for Paul to find her. As the car faded into the distance, Stormy slowly exhaled, a sharp, shaky breath escaping her lips. Her eyes darted across the darkened landscape, trying to make sense of the maze of abandoned structures around her.
She needed to find a place to hide until she could be found. Her mind raced through her options as the seconds ticked away. If Paul was out there, hunting her down, she needed to find a place that he’d never think she would go. She could only pray Reeves had made it out of the restaurant, and someone was searching for her.
The longer she stayed out in the open, the more dangerous it became. She could hear the faint hum of distant traffic, but it was too far off for her to run for help.
With a final glance over her shoulder, she made her decision to get moving. She couldn’t wait any longer. She couldn’t take the chance. Silently, she rose from her crouched position, keeping to the shadows she kept her body low to the ground as she made her way toward the next building.
Stormy’s legs protested, but she didn’t dare slow down. She kicked at an old, rotting fence post that was blocking her path, desperate to get into the area protected by what was left of the still standing fence.
The crunch of brittle wood under her boots was a sharp contrast to the eerie silence. She winced at the noise, but it was too late to be quiet now. Moving across the partially fenced in area she wove her way between the remnants of chain link fencing and broken planks. Slowing down her steps now calculated and careful where she didn’t end hurt. Even with fear crawling over her, she cautiously made her way to an opening in the next section of fence. Off in the distance she could see an outline of a building that appeared intact.
Stormy hesitated at the edge of the fence. For a split second, she heard a car engine rumbled in the distance, but it was faint. Every second she wasted could be the difference between slipping into safety or getting caught.
Shoving another splintered board aside, she darted toward the building. The door was a mess of broken glass and rusted hinges, barely hanging onto its frame. It creaked loudly as she nudged it open. Squeezing through the small opening she flinched when the door creaked louder.
Inside was darker than she’d expected, the only light coming from a single, cracked window high up near the ceiling. Dust hung in the air. “This is where the girl gets killed in every movie,” she whispered into the darkness. There was nothing inside that would give her a place to hide. She needed to keep moving, she just needed time to catch her breath.
A few more steps inside and she froze, her breath caught in her throat. Someone or something was moving around outside. She glanced around quickly. She caught site of a pile of rusted barrels sitting against one wall. Stormy knew if she ran or even walked quickly towards them the sound of her heels would echo through the empty space. Barely moving across the floor perspiration broke out across her forehead. Little by little she reached the barrels. Behind them she found a dark corner she could hide in.
Her heart hammered in her chest as she huddled on the floor. The sounds of footsteps grew closer. A few seconds later the sound became louder. Covering her mouth with her hand, she watched and waited to see Paul come into view. He never did, instead a large stray dog wandered in and then back out. Letting out a sigh of relief Stormy shoved herself off the floor.
She made quick work of the room squeezed back through the narrow opening into the night air. She could go back the way she came, but she knew what was that way. Nothing and no-one. Ahead of her could be a neighborhood or an open gas station.
Running across the broken concrete and tall weeds that shot up through the cracks, she headed for the next building. A chain link fence surrounded the building along with pieces of yellow caution tape. No doubt left over from some unfortunate accident. Shoving on the fence Stormy found a section that was broken. Using her hands she tugged and yanked at it until the fence bent back creating a larger opening.
Pushing it out of her way, she climbed through. Using her foot, she smashed it back down so it wouldn’t look like someone had recently climbed through. She tripped over a sheet of rusty metal and fell forward. She threw out her hand to stop her fall. Her hand landed on the edge cutting it, biting down on the inside of her cheek, she held the scream that threatened to escape her throat.
Shoving herself up, Stormy stumbled through the debris until she came up on the building’s back door. Testing the doorknob with her uninjured hand, she found it unlocked. Turning the knob, she opened the metal door just enough where she could push through. The sound of the metal door slamming shut resonated throughout the warehouse. Stormy cringed knowing the sound could have been heard by anyone lurking on the street.
Sticking to the shadows as she made her way deeper into the building, she fumbled around turned over chairs. Her feet slipped on chains that were scattered on the floor.
The interior of the building smelled horrible. The odor was a mixture of dirt, oil, and soot. Half the roof was caved in, and the second floor was barely there. Glancing around the place she saw burned out cars. Maneuvering around the cars, Stormy wrapped her arms around herself. The only sounds inside the building was the sound of her boots stepping on broken glass.
She deduced the place must have been a mechanic’s shop. Possibly a chop shop for cars. In the center of the floor, she saw a dingy soot covered logo painted. Looking up she saw metal hooks and pulleys above her. Shivers ran along her spine.
On the far wall, past the burnt cars, and remnants of a pool table, she saw stairs. Maybe she could find a place to hide until morning. The stairs led up to a walkway with doors and windows along it. From her position on the ground floor, she noticed the windows of one room had been smashed and the door hung haphazardly on its hinges. The stairs were barely hanging loosely from the wall. The entire setting made her shiver. By the looks of the place, she didn’t need to stay there. She got the distinct feeling something bad had happened there.