Chapter twenty
Sara didn't dare give into the temptation to look behind her as she drove the SUV, Lotte shivered and seemed to bury deeper into the car seat. Sara went to reach out for the young child but something beneath the car snapped and tires span useless, Sara counted the pull of the tires and after a few moments she slammed her foot on the break sending her head first into the steering wheel and the horn.
Sara groaned when the blood trickled into her eye and Lotte poked at her "Sara" she squeaked and Sara looked at her, her stomach knotting when she saw how pale the child looked making stomachs twirled in a way that made her think she would throw up there and then.
"are you ok honey… are you hurt" Sara questioned as Lotte shook her head slowly her eyes brimming with tears and her lower lip clamped between her teeth. Sara reached for the door handle but Lotte whimpered and her eyes darted back and forth between Sara's face and her hand "honey I have to check the car I'll be right back… you'll be able to see the whole time I promise" Sara promised, reluctantly Lotte nodded and Sara lent over and engulfed the girl in a large hug then let go pushing the door open and climbing out gingerly.
Glancing over her shoulder she bent down and glanced at the front tires, hissing when she saw that they were blown. Already guessing what would await her she looked at the back tires and found they too were blown. Sara stood but a glint caught her eye and she saw the metal spikes just poking out of her ruined tires.
This made her stomach knot even tighter before she climbed back into the SUV shakily as she admitted to her self that it must have been Lucas that set the spikes in place. Glancing at Lotte who held an expression of relief as Sara finally closed and locked the door "honey did you, mommy and daddy ever come up here" Sara questioned as gently as her rattled nerves would allow, Lotte looked at her through unshed tears then slowly nodded causing Sara to feel all the blood drain from her face.
Opening her arms to the little girl Lotte leapt into Sara's arms and Sara blinked the burning tears back as she held the girl tighter to her.
"I promised to never let anything to happen… everything is going to be ok Lotte, I promise you that" Sara assured pressing a kiss atop of Lotte's head.
Lotte shifted in Sara's arms and took a sobering breath "I want Greg with us Sara… I want him to protect you like your protecting me" Lotte stated making Sara's heart miss a beat.
"It's ok, he'll be here soon enough" Sara had to bite back the tone of doubt. It was no use in scaring the poor child. She felt the small form shift in her arms and heard the small whimper. Sara did the only thing she could do and held the child tighter to her, he had said he was coming for them and she believed him- hell she had managed to trust him for the past year, with her heart- her stomach knotted when she saw his face for the first time after the hit, as he pushed them into the SUV- her heart stopped at one point when she saw his pale face half covered in blood some not his own but enough to make her feel sick.
Now holding the young girl fiercely in her arms she was beginning to doubt her own words. She knew if they waited for much longer she would have to give up all hope and search for him her self or they would have to attempt to get help. Just then she saw something in the waning moonlight. For a moment she almost scolded her self for thinking he would ever give up on them- on her. But then she made out it wasn't him-he hadn't come to save them, it was the other- it was Lucas and he- Sara bite off the whimper before it made its way to her lips. It was a gun; no doubt it wasn't even his gun.
She wanted to cry, if anything had happened- he had to be dead, Lucas wouldn't have left him any other way- but then the presence of the young girl huddled in her arms brought her back, she had to be strong for her. Sliding down her seat Sara pulled the young across her, pushing her between her seat and the driver side's door. Sara's body shielded the young girl from the other door the one Lucas was making his way to his gun raised and ready.
This was it they would have to run, attempt to outrun or even hide from Lucas. Bringing her face close to the young girl Sara kept her voice steady, she couldn't scare her
"Honey when I tell you, we're going to throw open the door and run like hell into the woods ok?" Sara felt the young girl no, no doubt sharing the fear coursing it's way through her veins but even now Sara smiled, the child was a lot stronger then she ever gave her credit for, she could only pray that was because of Sara rather then of what had plagued the first six years of her life. Then in a whisper to match Sara's she pulled herself up to her ear "like bats out of hell" she questioned causing Sara to grin and grab her small hand. Sara knew she hadn't been the one who helped her with her sense of humour… that of course was down to Greg. Sara allowed one tears to roll down her face… his face filled her mind and she could only pray that he would continue to be a positive affect on the young child and on her too. Sara glanced to the side mirror and saw Lucas approach- he was either really dumb and thought he could creep up on them or he was confident and he didn't care if they knew he was approaching.
Sara didn't want any longer, she reached down and thumbed her side lock and winced at the thud it made when the door unlocked it self. But she had no time to check if Lucas heard it or not for she was attempting to open the car door as quietly as possible. That's when she heard it and felt it, the first crack of the gun firing. The window on the passenger side door imploded and Sara half pushed half covered the young girl as a bullet tore through the car and hit the driver's side door. Lucas snarled as he lent in through the shattered window attempting to grab hold of Sara whilst brandishing the gun around like a mad man.
"You bitch- I'll kill you give me my daughter back" Lucas snarled sounding like an animal. He backed out as Sara dragged her self out of the SUV she pushed the girl towards the woods stopping when there was some stumbling to her right and she saw Lucas standing on the other side of the car with the gun pointed at them. It flickered between the two of them and Sara threw herself over the girl when she heard the first crack, screwing her eyes shut ready for the pain.
Greg bite back a strangled cry as he dragged himself back onto the road, it felt like hours since he fell down the side of the cliff. But with new determination to see his family once more he had dragged himself up even though his now broken ribs and arm protested all of the way.
Once back on unsteady feet he swayed lightly but managed to clamp all pain, nausea and dizziness down and made his painful and clouded way forward. After he managed to make it at least half way along the road to where he had left Sara and Lotte he heard. The sudden stop made him yelp when he heard the gun shot ring out in the air, blinking back the hot tears he matched on not allowing the nagging thought of it was all over enter his mind… he was the only person left to help his soon to be wife and their adoptive daughter…and he would have to be shot in the head and heart before he even stopped.
Making himself move faster despite his injuries Greg could just about make out the snarls of Lucas, blood no filled his ears, Greg managed to gasp some wheezing breaths as he rounded a corner and saw something that made his heart stop for two beats. Sara and Lotte huddled while Lucas aimed Greg's own gun at them. Greg bit back the growl rising from deep inside him then with the last fleeting strength his broken body could provide Greg raced forward jumping on Lucas and knocking him to the ground causing the gun to go off.
Greg could only spare one glance to make sure the bullet did hit Sara or Lotte before a solid fist slammed into his jaw, spots dancing in front of his eyes Greg almost rolled over but he felt the gun pressed against him. He quickly grabbed hold of the gun managed to twist his finger over Lucas's over the trigger. Both men struggled and kicked at each as the possession of the gun became their entire focus… until there was another crack and the fighting ceased and warm blood began to seep through to the ground.
sorry about the delay hoped you enjoyed and hope you enjoy the cliff hanger.