Chapter 9
Jenny launched forward and locked the door, but she knew it wouldn't hold him for long; it was made of shoddy wood that would be easy to break down. Her brain was whirling with possible suggestions to get both Sarah and herself out alive, but none of them seemed plausible . . . if only she could contact someone . . . suddenly, she realised that she kept her walky-talky device in here; even though it was much more powerful than the standard, it still would only work over relatively short distances. But it was worth a try . . .
As she rooted frantically in her work bag next to her bed, she jumped violently as Brookes started banging on the door.
"Open the door Jenny!" he demanded, sounding furious.
She pulled out the radio, and flipped the switch down so that she could hear whoever was on the other side and visa-versa.
"This is Jenny Lewis," she spoke as quietly as she could get away with. "I need help, is anyone there?"
Only static emanated from the machine. It had been a long shot after all.
The door wobbled alarmingly after Brookes's latest blow; it wasn't going to hold out much longer. Panicking, Jenny flung herself into a crouching position with her back against the side of her chester draws just as the door exploded open with a deafening crash.
"We're not playing hide-and-seek, Jenny," said Brookes's soft, cold voice, drawing neared to where she crouched. "You can't hide from me for long. Maybe I should go down and finish Sarah off first then? When I've done that, I'm sure you'll be better behaved . . ."
Jenny closed her eyes, and knew what she had to do. She couldn't let anything happen to Sarah . . . and she wasn't going to die crouched down like a scared child. If this is how it was all going to end, she was going to fight him until the last ounce of strength left her body. Never let it be said that Jenny Lewis couldn't take care of herself when she needed to.
Before he could discover her behind the draws, she stood up. This seemed to surprise Brookes slightly, as he surveyed her for a few moments as she walked out from her corner, ready for the blow to hit her.
Then, he dived towards her, pushing her up against the wall roughly; the radio fell out of her hand and spun across the floor and out of sight, the static sound still vaguely audible. She pushed back, determined not to make this easy for him; she clawed at his arms and face with her sharp, manicured nails making him roar in pain and loosen his grip on her slightly. She punched him as hard as she could, causing him to stagger backwards several feet. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she made to attack him again, but he straightened up and head butted her. She fell backwards, screaming in agony and clutching her forehead, collapsing on the floor with dizziness. In a flash, he was on top of her, ripping her skirt, and settling between her legs, his hands holding her wrists down.
"Get off me!" she screeched, as she tried with all her might to push him off, but he was too strong . . . he was a soldier after all.
"Who is that?" a voice emanated out of the radio that was next to her head.
Conner.
Before she could reply, Brookes put his hands around her throat and started to choke her; she struggled for breath desperatly.
"This . . . Jenny Lewis . . . help me . . ." was all she could splutter, his hands grasping tighter and tighter around her, crushing her windpipe.
"Jenny? Where are you?" Conner's voice demanded, sounding panicked.
Jenny tried to respond, but she had no breath left in her to form any words. Her vision was swimming . . . all she could make out were his cold grey eyes crinkled in satisfaction as he watched her lose consciousness.
Then, out of nowhere, he grunted in pain and rolled off her. Sarah was standing behind him, holding one of Mark's cricket bats that had been stored in the downstairs cupboard. Jenny scampered to her feet, coughing and gasping for breath, clutching her neck. Brookes launched at Sarah, both of them fighting for the bat in her hands; with a yell, he pushed her hard so that she was flung across the room and hit the opposite wall. While his back was turned Jenny jumped on him wildly, but he threw her off him easily and she landed in a heap on the bed.
"Sarah, get out of here!" she yelled, struggling upwards.
She could hear Conner's (or it could have been anyone's) voice shouting out of the walky-talky, but she didn't have time for that . . . Brookes and Sarah where fighting again; Sarah aimed a kick at his crotch, and grappled with him so that they both fell out into the hallway. Jenny followed; Sarah was now on the floor, and Brookes was chocking her as he had just done with Jenny.
"Get off her!" Jenny screamed, trying to pull him off with her arms around his neck so that she had him in a sort-of head lock. "GET OFF!"
He was yelling, and trying to push Jenny off him, but she only tightened her grip. In the end, he was forced to let go of Sarah's throat, and both he and Jenny fell backwards onto the floor. From beside her, she felt him get up. She turned to see him walking away down the hall, but Sarah grabbed his ankle so that he stumbled - they couldn't let him go and get more weapons. Jenny scrambled to her feet again and launched at him, pushing against the wall. In a second, Sarah was beside her, and they both went for him, punching and kicking him incessantly; he seemed overwhelmed by their sudden attack, so much so that he couldn't fight back efficiently - Jenny was trying to keep him pinned to the wall, and his hand reached out and again grabbed Sarah by the neck; she responded by squeezing his own throat as hard as she could, her teeth bared into a snarl as she did so. It was not until they all staggered to the side and Jenny felt the floor leave her feet did she abandon the attempt to punch every inch of him she could reach.
All she remembered was seeing flashes of the banister as they all tumbled down the stairs in a mass of limps. There was a blinding pain that felt as though her head had split open.
And then nothingness.
This story turned out much more darker than I had intended, but ah well, I shall ride the wave!
Review if you can :D x
