Promise Me Light (5 page)

~~~~

My mind snapped back to the present. I stood in the same corner store
that David Peterson’s father had owned so long ago. The same corner
store where Ryder and I had bought candy bars and Cokes when we were
kids. Now the place was abandoned, ransacked for supplies. Just a hollow
place where the memories of yesterday lingered.

I pushed an empty carton out of the way and peered into the back of
the shelf. The lack of sunlight made it almost impossible to see
anything, making the search for food almost impossible. It didn’t
matter because it was all gone. Emptied of everything but dust and
dirt.

“You find anything, Maddie?” Gavin asked, stopping a few feet
from me.

I pushed another box out of the way and almost squealed. A small can
of Vienna sausages stared back at me. I grabbed them quickly, almost
afraid they would disappear if I let them out of my sight.

“Just this,” I told Gavin, showing him the can. “What about
you?”

“Nada.”

I stuffed the small can in my coat pocket and double-checked the
shelf one more time. With Gavin following close behind me, I left the
aisle and headed for the next one. As I turned the corner, I saw Cash
rummaging through a bin that once might have held candy bars or chips.
He looked up as we approached, his face grim.
He
didn’t find anything.
We were hoping for cans of sardines or
some energy bars. Anything to fill the empty gnawing of our stomachs. I
was secretly hoping to find a bottle of prenatal vitamins. But
everything was gone.

I opened my mouth to suggest we leave when men’s voices came from
the front of the store.

“Where the hell did they go?” someone shouted, followed by the
sound of running feet.

Another man answered but I couldn’t hear what was being said over
the pounding of my heart.

Cash, Gavin, and I stood frozen, stunned that we weren’t alone
anymore. ‘
What do we do? What do we do?’
replayed again and again in my mind.

Suddenly, Cash and Gavin flew into action. Gavin grabbed my wrist,
making me jump. With a firm grasp on me, he started running down the
aisle, almost dragging me in his haste. Cash followed, walking backwards
as he quietly pumped a shell into the chamber of his shotgun and kept an
eye on the aisle.

Gavin hauled me around a metal shelf that once had held boxes of
cereal or cans of coffee. I glanced over my shoulder once or twice,
terrified I would see men chasing us. But I only saw Cash, following us
with a raised gun.

The men’s voices rose, coming closer. Gavin sped up, never letting
go of me. Cash stayed on my heels, providing protection against our
nameless pursuers.

We ran through the store, trying not to make any noise. Scared
didn’t begin to describe how I felt. Terrified didn’t even come
close. My heart pounded so hard I was sure the men would hear it.

We turned a corner and headed down another aisle. As we ran, Gavin
glanced back. His gaze darted past my head, his pupils rounding.

“Holy hell!” he yelled, breaking our silence.

Before I could comprehend what was happening, he shoved me to the
floor. I hit the linoleum hard, the breath knocked out of my lungs. My
chin hit the cold, dirty floor, rattling my teeth and causing me to bit
the inside of my mouth, bringing blood. Grime lay beneath me, coating me
from head to toe. My hands landed in something wet but I didn’t have
time to worry about what it was.

From under my hood, I glanced up. Three men were rushing toward us.
The one in front reminded me of a huge beast charging in anger, focused
only on us and nothing else.

I tried to scramble backward but Gavin had a hand flat on my back,
holding me down. I heard the familiar sound of a shotgun being pumped
above me. Peeking up, I found that both Gavin and Cash had their guns
aimed, loaded, and pointed at the strangers.

The big man didn’t falter. The sight of a gun would have warned
most adult men to back off but not this one.

“STOP!” Gavin shouted, removing his hand from my back to raise
his gun.

Free now, I scrambled to my hands and knees. I was shaking so badly I
was afraid they wouldn’t be able to support my weight.

Gavin and Cash stepped in front of me, providing cover as the man
roared and picked up speed, slipping on the slick floor in the
progress.

“Get out of here, Maddie!” Gavin shouted.

I didn’t have to be told twice. Turning, I took off running. My
tennis shoes squeaked on the fake tile floor as I ran. I didn’t get
very far when I hit something slick on the floor. My shoes lost traction
and I started to fall. I grabbed the shelf next to me, holding on for
dear life. The metal edge pierced my hand, leaving a long shallow cut in
my palm. I hissed at the pain but regained my footing. Desperate to
leave, I let go of the shelf and took off running, rounding the corner
quickly.

Where do I go?
I didn’t know the store very
well. Cash, Gavin, and I had entered through a broken window in front
but I didn’t think I could get out that way. The strangers probably
had it blocked.

I glanced right and left, trying to think straight as fear
increasingly consumed me. To my right were refrigerated doors that once
held beer and soda. Now they sat empty. Useless. To my left was the way
out, but the strangers were there, hunting us.
We’re
trapped.
A large swinging door at the back caught my eye. It was
marked DELIVERY.
My way out!

Worry for Cash and Gavin had me hesitating for a second.
Run! Go! They can take care of themselves
, the voice
inside my head screamed. Listening to my gut instincts, I broke into a
run. I could hear yelling, but I didn’t stop. Jumping over an empty
box, I narrowly missed the sharp edges of a counter that had fallen
down.

I was so focused on making it to the door that I never saw the man.
He appeared out of nowhere, jumping in front of me. One minute I was
alone, the next I was inches away from a complete stranger.

“Well, hello darling,” he smirked, looking me up and down.

I swallowed hard with fright and took a step back. My foot landed on
some broken glass and I heard it crunch menacingly beneath my feet. The
yelling behind me faded. All I could hear was the air rushing in and out
of my lungs.

The man started walking toward me. Stalking me. He was young. Maybe
my age. The red flannel jacket he wore was dirty and full of holes. And
the smell rolling off of him…
God, the
smell!

I covered my nose with the sleeve of my coat and watched as he
fingered something in his hand. A knife. He flipped it around, twirling
it with his fingers like a pencil. I felt fear rise up in me when I
remembered another man with a knife.

“It’s just you and me, sweetheart. Why don’t we git to know
each other better?” he said, grinning. “You look like you gotta be a
whole lotta fun.”

A shiver ran down my spine. Walking backwards, I glanced around,
searching for a weapon. Worry for my unborn child was the only thing on
my mind. My gaze caught on the delivery door again.
If I
can make it past him, I might be able to get out of here.

The man must have guessed what I was going to do. A brutal look
replaced his grin as he stopped flipping his knife. With a roar, he
rushed me.

I scampered to the side, out of his line of attack. His hand reached
for me just as a gunshot went off. Blood splattered across my face as
the man fell backwards, clutching his shoulder.

“RUN MADDIE!” Gavin screamed behind me.

I whirled around. He was standing with his feet spread, shotgun
pointed at my would-be attacker. When shouts came from the front of the
store, he swung the shotgun that direction.

“RUN!” he shouted again, keeping his eyes focused down the barrel
of the gun.

I took off, skirting around the man clutching his shoulder and
writhing on the floor. As I ran, I wiped the wetness off of my face,
trying not to think about a stranger’s blood on me.

I was almost to the delivery door when it hit me. The nausea. The
rolling in my stomach.
No, not now!
I wrapped an
arm around my middle and gritted my teeth. With my free hand, I pushed
open the metal door and hurried inside. Near the back of the supply
room, I could see a small square of light, indicating a way out.

I was halfway there when the smell hit me. Something molded and sour.
Rotten. I stopped as if I had hit a wall. But it wasn’t a wall. It was
morning sickness.

With one hand wrapped around my middle, I pressed the back of my
other hand against my mouth, fighting the urge to gag.

When the wave of nausea passed, I hurried through the room. A small,
thick-paned window was located near the top of the back door, beckoning
me with the outside light. Mustering all of my strength, I threw my body
against the door.

Outside the rain was slowly turning to sleet but I didn’t have time
to worry about it. I flung myself into the downpour. That’s when I
couldn’t hold it any longer. My stomach emptied on the pavement beside
the building, the cold rain soaking my clothes, sticking them to my
body.

I was barely able to stay on my feet as the little amount of food I
had in my stomach left me.
I am so sick! Oh gosh, I
can’t do this!
My stomach heaved again. When it passed I wiped
my mouth with the back of my hand and closed my eyes against the
spinning in my head.

Without warning the metal door beside me crashed open, smacking
against the outside wall with a bang. I jumped, expecting the worst.
I always expect the worst in this shithole of a
world.

“What the hell?” Gavin exclaimed. “Are you sick?”

“I’m okay,” I answered, wiping my mouth again as the rain
pelted me.

From beneath the safety of my hoodie, I glanced at Cash. He was
standing behind Gavin, his eyes darting around anxiously. He held his
shotgun tightly, ready if needed.

“Where are they?” I asked with a trembling voice.

“They’re coming. Let’s go,” Cash said, keeping his focus on
our surroundings. Icy rain ran over the brim of his cowboy hat, soaking
his jacket but managing to keep his face dry.

Gavin studied me a second longer than was necessary before grasping
my elbow. “Come on,” he said, pulling me along behind him.

We ran as quickly as we could, the sound of the driving rain masking
our steps. Gavin held onto me, practically dragging me along with him.
Any other time, I might have protested but right now all that mattered
was getting to safety.

Near the corner of the store, Cash held up his hand, stopping us. I
leaned against the cold brick, breathing hard. I wanted to slide down
and land in a big heap on the ground. Disappear in the cracks just like
the rain did. I was tired and hungry.
Just give
up
, a small part of me whispered.
No one will
blame you. Give in.
But I didn’t. The only thing keeping me
going was the knowledge that Ryder would want me to. For him and for our
baby.

I watched Cash and anxiously waited for the moment he would tell us
to start running again. Peering down the barrel, he scanned the area,
keeping an eye out for any unwanted company. After a tense minute, he
motioned for us to start moving again.

Gathering what little strength I had left, I took off running,
following close behind Gavin. Cash brought up the rear, staying behind
me.

I had trouble keeping up with Gavin’s long gait, fearing I would
trip and fall. The pavement was slick and cracked, torn apart by weeds.
It was the perfect scenario for a twisted ankle or broken bone. Wet,
empty boxes littered the area, forcing us to maneuver quickly around
them as if we were on a torturous obstacle course.

I forced myself to focus on our destination - the tree-lined area
straight ahead. Our only escape.

We were ten feet from the trees when loud shouts exploded behind us.
Shit! They found us!

Gavin grabbed my arm, flinging me behind an abandoned VW bug. I fell
to my knees, feeling my jeans rip and my skin scrape against the
sidewalk.

Cash slid to a stop, dropping down next to me. Resting his back
against the bumper, he struggled to catch his breath. He pushed his
cowboy hat further back on his head and peered down his gun, scanning
the area.

I waited, trying to calm my racing heart down.
Did
the men see us? Are we going to get out of here?

Cash held up four fingers. I had no idea if he was trying to tell us
there were four men or four seconds until we started running again.
Deciding to find out for myself, I started to rise, hoping to peek
through the back window of the car and see what was going on.

But Gavin put his hand on the top of my head, pushing me back down.
When he gave me a warning look, he reminded me so much of his brother
that it felt like another nail had just been pounded into my coffin.

“Stay down, Maddie,” he whispered so low I almost didn’t hear
him. He glowered at me, daring me to argue. I didn’t.

When the shouts of the men died down, we waited a few more seconds
before climbing to our feet. The weather was getting worse. Freezing
rain fell harder, causing me to shiver. I prayed the strangers would
decide we weren’t worth the effort and leave us alone.

Without waiting around to find out, we hurried to the back of the
parking lot. Jumping over a low hanging fence, we crossed the last few
feet to the dense woods.

Oak trees, overgrown shrubs, and trash covered the area, giving us
just the protection we needed. Moving faster we ran through the thick
brush. A few thorny branches reached out to snag my jacket, trying to
grab ahold of me and not let go. But I didn’t slow down. Fright made
me run but the cold made it impossible to feel anything.