Chapter Forty-Two

He huddled in the corner of the safe room, terrified and frozen. His little, knobby knees pulled against his chest, his small arms wrapped around them. His eyes were locked on the monitors Mother hadn’t an opportunity to disengage. His mother’s body lay spent of blood and life, her hand reaching toward the wall he hid behind. Tears ran steadily from unblinking eyes, shock making his world seem surreal and slowed down.

Movement on the screen caught his eyes, snapping him from his trance. The men who ran from the home moments before were back and standing in front of his fortress. His head snapped to the left as the wall began to open. Where are the police? he thought in a panic. The sirens sounded no closer. The wall opened exposing him to his would-be assailants and they closed in, flanking him. He’d nowhere to run, completely trapped against the wall as they closed in. His throat clamped tightly and he couldn’t draw breath to scream.