Chapter 28
Avidya
I just finished writing another journal entry when the doorbell rang through the house. Zachariah was at work. Again. I understood his need to work, but that didn’t mean I liked it. I missed him being home with me and being lazy. It was almost the weekend, finally, and we’d be able to do just that.
Maybe I did need to get out more often like nearly everyone around me kept hinting.
As the doorbell rang once more, I made my way out of the office and towards the front door. My socked feet padded along the hardwood floor towards the door.
Stopping a yard away from the door, I couldn’t help as my heart pounded in my chest at the dark figure that stood on the other side. From the angle I was at, I was unable to see a face clearly through the beveled glass of the heavy wooden door.
Listening to my instincts that felt like a solid rock in my gut, I pushed the single button on the camera that was connected to the alarm to see who was here. Zooming in on the face, my breath caught in my throat. I never expected it to be him.
There, standing on the other side of the door was the one and only Cody Ray. He was dressed in a black suit and looked like he was more put together than I had ever seen him.
Why was he here? Was he here for me? For Zachariah?
He pressed the doorbell again, a look of impatience on his face while doing so. A moment later, he pounded roughly on the door.
I was frozen in place, my heart beating way too fast as questions raced through my mind.
“Come on! Open the stupid door!” Cody shouted, although his voice was slightly muffled from being on the other side. He pounded a fist on the door once more, causing me to quietly yelp.
What did he want?
I sure wasn’t going to open that door to find out, either. There was no way I’d willingly let that man into my house. Ever.
Slipping back the way I came, I made my way quickly and quietly up the stairs and to where I had left my cell phone on the side table next to the bed. I knew I needed to start having the device with me wherever I went. Even inside the house.
I could still hear the pounding of his fist against the door along with the doorbell my hands shook in fear. He couldn’t get in, could he?
Cody shouldn’t cause this much fear in me. It was possible he wasn’t even here for me as it was.
Pulling up Zach’s name on the phone, I pressedcalland waited for him to answer. He answered on the first ring, most likely because I hardly ever called him. Thinking about it, I don’t think I’ve called him while he was gone before now. He’s always been the one to call or text me a couple of times throughout the day.
“Avidya?” he answered, his voice filled with concern and on edge.
I was on edge myself, given the situation I found myself to me in.
I wondered, for the billionth time, what more could I handle?
“Cody’s here,” I spoke, my voice as shaky as my hands.
“Okay,” Zachariah answered. “Where?” Despite the calmness of his voice, I could hear the worry.
“He’s at the front door. Pounding on it,” I answered, fear consuming me. My words were rushed as I tried to spit them out.
“He’s not in the house, then?” he asked, sounding a bit calmer.
“No,” I answered, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see that.
“Good,” he sighed out. “Now, I need you to listen very closely.” I heard his car door shut from his side of the line. “I need you to go to the office.”
“What if he sees me?” I asked, feeling my panic start again. Couldn’t I go anywhere else but back downstairs?
“That’s okay,” Zachariah said calmly. How could he be so calm at a time like this?How?“Just follow my orders, okay. Everything will be perfectly fine.”
“Okay,” I breathed, forcing my legs to take me to his office. I couldn’t help but pause at the top of the stairs, hearing Cody’s fists now banging on windows.
