Chapter 10
Ashley's POV
I hold Kay close to me as we listen breathlessly for Craig to find us. When Craig goes the other direction I breathe a sigh of relief. He hears me and turns. I stop and stare...praying we stay safe. He smiles slyly and looks toward the bush where we are hiding. Excitement fills his eyes and he licks his lips. Something's changed...he is no longer trying to teach us a lesson...he is a predator...and we are his prey.
"Come out come out whereever you are," He says in a childish voice. I intake breath slowly and squeeze Kay, she doesn't move. I look at her and notice something is wrong, her eyes...they're red...her nose...it's bleeding. She's crying silently knowing one sound could end it for us. But her eys...the white...it's red...
I remember this on a tv show...Strong Medicine...the two girls had these symptoms...bloody nose..and red eyes. I look around me carefully and see what the cause could be. As I look around the area I look down and...I scream. I've let out our cover, my hand flies to my mouth. We are sitting in a bed of...
Craig's POV
I run into the woods and pause. She's here...I can feel her...feel her fear. I grin, she has Katerina. Katerina set her free...Katerina knows. I rub my sleeve across my running nose and look around. Scratching the nape of my neck I turn left and head for the dead area of the woods, an ideal hiding spot. I hear someone breathe. Swiftly I turn around and see a bush...my bush... I know that bush...but that means...no...oh god...she can't die that way...she can't...it's not fair! I near the bush when I hear a scream...Ashley's scream...she's seen it...the rat poison and...the dead rats.
Ashley's POV
Oh my god...my hands are shaking...Kay is shaking. Kay is bleeding. We're in rats...oh god...dead rats...Rat Poison...oh god...Kay...we...we're gonna...die. Gotta get outta here, gotta getout. I hold Kay close and jumpt o my feet just as Craig tears the bush away. I scream. But for the first time his eyes are filled with fear...compassion?
"Ashley!" He's angry...and scared. I don't wait for the rest of his sentence. Sobbing I bolt to the house...Kay bouncing in my arms, she to is sobbing.
"My eyes...my nose...mommy." She cries.
"It's okay baby, I got you," I say and run into the garage, trying to convince myself we'll be alright. Not thinking about the car or that we could escape.
I lay Kay on the couch and grab Craig's cell that is lying on the kitchen table. I dial 911 and beg that someone answers. Someone answers and hurridly give her the address and condition she calms me down and tells me to make sure I stay on the line when he comes back, the police and ambulance are on their way I sigh and gently place my lifeline on the table...making sure it appears off.
I sit next to Kay on the couch, I wait, I don't know what to do...I sit...I think...I cry...I wait.
As I rock back and forth while Kay weeps Craig storms into the garage, I shriek. In two strides he reaches me. He slaps me with the back of his hand. I know the woman on the phone is listening. I fall to the ground...he grabs me by the back of the neck.
"Listen bitch if you weren't pregnant I'd kill you." He seeths and throws me on the couch, bouncing a screaming Kay. He's about to unbutton his pants...oh god...not again...I plead with him. ThenI hear it...what sounds like the hallelujah chorus...the sirens. I jump up and grab Kay before he turns arouund. He hears the sirens but I am already at the door. I grab the knob and pain shoots through my body, I scream and fall to the ground, Kay falling with me. White hot pain is seething through my hand. Then all goes black.
