Maybe I could play confused, distract them.
I decided that was the way to go, so I sat up, gun in my hand, “What’s going on?”
One of the men growled, “Nothing, bitch”
With my bound hands I raised that gun and put two rounds through his chest. A second man jumped toward me. I shot him, knocking him back. Another man lunged at me and I fired at him as he clawed at my joggers. I was screaming, crazed, firing again and again, on my back, shooting at anything and anyone that moved toward me.
Then there was silence except for my pulse and the tick of cooling metal.
I dropped the gun in a panic — the gunshots had scared the hell out of me. I was covered in blood, and it was as if someone else had done it. My ears rang; I was confused. There were dead men on me, around me.
I tried to cover my ears but my bound wrists made it impossible, I stared at the dark scene.Ugh.
I was surrounded by death. Where was I?
I had to get away from this crime scene.
It was too dark to see, but there was a flashlight lying on the ground, its light dimmed in high grass. I shoved men off my legs, stumbled up, and grabbed it, shining it around. I found a promising bag and dug through it for a knife.
Gotcha.
I placed the blade between the soles of my boots and cut the zip-ties, freeing my wrists.
I grabbed the gun, the knife, the vessel and two of the bags, including mine and walked away from the nightmare using the flashlight to lead my way to the road.
I needed to figure out where I was.
34
TORIN
JULY 9TH, 2004 - LAUREL RIDGE
My sight was gone, my head roared. My movements were grasping and slow, struggling as I lay near-dead in the dirt. M’skin felt hot, I was confused,what had happened — where was I?
I got a hand under m’shoulder and with a shakin’ arm lifted my back up. Then I sat, my elbows on m’knees, lookin’ around dazedly. The world had slowed, and roared, and was thick with dust and smoke. I wiped m’forearm across my eyes, shakin’ m’head tae clear it. I yanked on my ears. There was a black ring smokin’ on the lawn where the thing had burst.
I turned tae look behind me. The horses had gone mad in their paddock, racin’, kickin’ up gravel, runnin’ along the far fence, turnin’, goin’ the other way, turnin’ again, a frantic race, tryin’ tae get away. The rumblin’ of their hooves on the ground vibrated the earth, their frantic breaths filled the air. Risin’ dust caused me tae cough up dirt. I spit intae the grass.
Och nae.
I was confused. The thick air made it difficult tae see.
Where was Alexandria?
I lumbered tae m’feet and staggered tae the rail on the porch, findin’ m’self standin’, swayin’, lookin’ up at the house. A window had a crack webbed across the glass, but the house held. I couldna believe twas still in one piece.
But twas empty, the landscape was silent — stillness after a storm except for the small bang of the door as it shifted on a loose hinge.
Clutchin’ the rail, I slowly heaved m’self up the stair. Dude walked up and rubbed on my leg. I forced out a question, “Did ye see which way they went, cat?”
My voice sounded gruff and hoarse. He opened his mouth but I couldna hear him.
At the top step I looked out over the lawn. I hadna seen anything, I dinna ken how they left or which way they went. I called, weakly, “Alexandria! Alexandria!” I fumbled with the door handle and pushed m’way inside. “Alexandria!”
The house was dead still, just a soft, steady rumble fillin’ my ears. Night threw all the rooms intae shadowed darkness.
I looked from room tae room for any sign of her, tae make certain she wasna here but unconscious.She was dragged away.But I had tae be sure. I couldna remember how tae turn on the lights. I stared at the lamp, confused by the blast, forgettin’ the lesson on turnin’ it on. The house remained dark. I peered intae each room, looking around without a flame.
