Chapter 8 #2
He pulls me away from the door and gathers me up in his arms for one more kiss.
A kiss that is entirely too short and leaves me wanting so much more.
He makes sure I’m steady on my feet, chuckling softly when I wobble a little.
He waits for me to go inside, turn the lights on, and lock the door before he leaves. He’s definitely one of the good ones.
It’s late, but I’m way too wired and amped up to go to sleep, so I change and decide to relax in the living room. I call Megan before it gets too late, and I talk to her briefly. She’s a few hours away from home and is planning on driving until she can’t.
I make her promise to call or text me when she stops to confirm she is safe for the night. The only comfort I get from talking to Megan is that she sounds better. Her voice is stronger, and it has lost the tremor that worried me so much when she initially left.
I make a mental note to check how many days off I have left. I’m going to need to make plans to go up to her house soon. Maybe if I have enough, I can go earlier, or stay longer and be with her.
I’m not sure how long I lay on the couch cuddled up close to Beretta, but it’s long enough that I’m just starting to doze off. Megan has the best taste in furniture, and I freaking love this couch. It’s so comfy.
My eyes are closed and vague images filter through my mind, when I’m startled awake by Beretta springing off the couch and launching herself at the windows facing the back yard.
She doesn’t even give a warning growl, she just goes into a full on rage of barking and snarling.
I gasp in alarm, trying desperately to scramble off the couch.
Grabbing up my phone, I go to flip on the outside light switch, almost terrified to see what is out there.
I can’t see anything or anyone even with the lights on, but Beretta won’t stop.
She pushes me away from the glass doors, putting herself in between me and whatever is outside.
I know that there are bears in the area, but they have lumbered up onto the porch before, and Beretta never acted like this.
This just isn’t making any sense. What the hell could be out there?
I grab her by the collar and give her the command to stop, but Beretta remains on alert even after her barking ceases. I stroke her head, and say as calmly as I can, “Betta, my good girl, it’s probably just a wild animal.”
She lets out another growl.
“Shhhhh baby.”
Her keen eyes never leave the darkness.
I keep looking out the windows, scanning the surrounding woods to determine what could have set her off, but I still can’t see anything. I’m about to turn the lights off, convinced that whatever startled Beretta has moved on, but out of the corner of my eye, I see movement.
My stomach drops, and before my brain can really process what I’m seeing, Beretta is snarling and lunging at the glass door again.
A figure all in black walks out of the shadows onto the deck.
An involuntary scream leaves me as the figure stalks up to the glass door.
They are covered head to toe and I can only make out their eyes.
The figure’s eyes burn with hate and something more sinister that I won’t let my brain decipher.
Unconcerned with the big dog snarling at them with only a thin window pane separating them, they reach out and stroke the glass, their fingers squeaking as they drag them down, as if they will reach through and caress my face.
I’m momentarily frozen; I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Who is this person? Why are they here?
Question after question slams through my mind in a matter of seconds.
It’s all I can do to force myself to snap out of the terrified trance I’m in.
I lunge for Beretta’s collar, commanding her to come, as I run out of the living room.
I barricade myself and Beretta into an interior bathroom, praying the glass doors are strong enough as loud booms echo through the house as the person bangs on the door trying to get in.
I fumble to unlock my phone, thanking God that I managed to keep a hold of it.
Without even thinking, I press the button to call Donovan.
The phone rings a few times, and with each ring my panic grows, when I finally get a sleepy answer. I barely hear his gruff, sleepy “Hello” before I blurt out in a panic, “Donovan! There is someone outside trying to get into the house!”
It takes every ounce of strength to not let out the sobs that are threatening to burst from me. I don’t think I have ever been this scared before. I can’t let this person hurt me or my dog. I need help. I need Donovan.
“Whoa, Kinley, say that again…what’s going on? I’m getting dressed right now, ok? Take a deep breath and tell me what happened again.”
“Someone is trying to break in! I don’t know how long the doors will hold up!”
“Ok, listen to me carefully. Get into a bedroom or bathroom without windows…and don’t come out until I call you. Can you do that for me?”
“I already am.”
A small sob escapes my mouth, before I clamp down my quivering lips. I will not fall apart now.
“Good girl, just stay there no matter what. Can you still hear them?”
“No, it just went quiet.”
I try desperately to calm my breathing. It won’t do me any good to go into a panic attack.
“Kinley, I’m coming right now. Ok? No matter what, you stay in that room and don’t come out until I tell you otherwise. Kinley, talk to me…”
“Don, I’m really scared.”
He keeps me on the phone as he wakes up the guys and they race to the truck.I hear the engine roar to life and tires squeal, but still Donovan remains on the phone with me, doing his best to keep me calm.
“Kinley, I’m coming as fast as I can. Ok, hon? I even have the guys with me…can you hear anything?”
“No, and I don’t know if that is a good thing or bad.”
I clutch the phone in one hand and Beretta with the other. I can’t stop shaking. Beretta’s growls have stopped, but her entire body is tense, the hairs along her back raised. She is intently listening for the intruder as she keeps her body in between mine and the door.
The time seems to stretch endlessly, and I can’t help pleading with him to hurry.
A feeling of pure evil and darkness washes over me, threatening to steal all of the air from my lungs.
Beretta’s deep snarls start up again and grow in volume.
I just know that if they don’t get here soon, something terrible is going to happen to me.