Castles Burning Part One by Nicole Ryan Page B

As we walked into the room I was yanked down to the ground by a strong hand, before I could scream Aden’s hand was around my mouth, and I was against his chest. I could make out Alex’s eyes beside me and watched as Christie sat down next to him and Aden took his hand from my mouth.
    “What is it?” I whispered.
    “Someone is here.” Alex said, “We don’t know who it is, or where they are, but there is someone in the house.”
    Christie began to whimper. I nodded, and took a deep swallow. Glancing around the bedroom for something to wield, I saw that Aden and Alex were a step ahead of me, beside Alex was a wooden baseball bat.
    “It’s him isn’t it?” Christie whispered.
    I looked at Aden who held my gaze intensely. Tears began to prick under my ey elids and fear gripped my heart as we heard the unmistakable sound of boots on the hard wood floors in the great room. Christie’s eyes widened and Alex pulled her to sit between his legs, his finger to his lips, eyes locked on hers. As the foot falls came closer, it felt as if my chest were constricted. I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs, panic was setting in, and I clung to my knees, watching the door, listening to the approaching footsteps. Everything seemed like it was in slow motion, one footfall, blink, see Aden. Another step, blink, Christie is shaking. Step, Blink Alex gripping Christie’s shoulders. Step, Blink, Aden gripping the baseball bat, and as the black toe of a work boot appeared before my eyes, Aden was away from me in a flash, the baseball bat still in his hand.
    “Go!” He ordered me, I grabbed Christie’s hand and hauled her to her feet and dragged her behind me as we heard the sound of the bat connecting with a body. We ran through the double doors to the bathroom, a nd escaped through the second door on the opposite side of the bathroom, which lead into the kitchen.
    “We can’t leave them!” She screamed at me, yanking her hand from my grip , her deep green eyes wild with panic and she searched my eyes madly. She was standing before me, poised as if ready to attack, her hands balled into fists at her side.
    “We don’t have a choice!” I told her.
    “He will kill them!” She shrieked. “You don’t know him.” She sobbed, pleading with her eyes, her hand clawing at her wrist.
    She was like a caged animal, her eyes were so intense yet, they almost appeared to be empty. Aden and Alex were still putting up a fight in the other room, I could hear things crashing and breaking, grunts of attack, and pain, and then a sickening thud.
    Not sure what to do or how to respond, I tried to remember if I’d seen anything in the house that would serve as a real weapon. Had this been a hunting cabin, and not a fishing cabin we would be set, I was the top shot in my boot camp division, never missing a mark. I searched the kitchen drawers recklessly as the cries and grunts in the next room grew louder, my hands shook as I went through every drawer searching through silverware and odd kitchen utensils, finally finding a carving knife and a steak knife.
    Christie and I ran into the room, the man was in a large black coat, black work boots, and a black baseball cap. He was filthy. Alex was lying in the corner, a lamp turned over behind him, and upon seeing this, Christie let out a small cry and ran to him. Aden was lying behind the bed, all I could see were his feet, but they were moving, which relieved me. He’s not dead, I told myself.
    The man turned slowly, reve aling a crazed look in his eyes, which were dark, and had big black circles beneath them. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in decades. His clothes were drenched, his skin dirty, and streaked from the rain runoff. In his left hand he held a gun. Just get the gun, I thought.
    “ Erica?” He asked as he took a step toward me, his eyes darkening more.
    “No.” I said and put my hands in front of me.
    “Where have you been, girl?” He asked me, swaying a little, as if he were