Chapter 6 - The Escape
The fall had dazed Austin for a fraction of a second, but his grip on my shirt tightened. I felt his hand wrap around my collar, pulling me up, his face twisted in a mask of pure, unadulterated rage.
"You little bitch!" he spat, his breath hot against my face.
"Austin, stop! Please!" my mother screamed, but she stood frozen in the corner, her hands pressed against her mouth, completely paralyzed by the violence she had invited into her home.
I kicked out blindly, my sneaker connecting with Austin's shin. He grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough. I wriggled out of my jacket, leaving him holding the empty denim sleeve, and scrambled to my feet.
Graham was already at the front door, his hands trembling as he tried to turn the deadbolt.
"Nellie!" he cried, his eyes wide with terror.
"I'm here, I'm here!" I yelled, running to him. I grabbed his hand, threw the door open, and we burst out into the cold, damp evening.
Behind us, I heard Austin roaring, his heavy footsteps thudding against the wooden porch steps.
"Get back here! Both of you!"
We didn't run to my car. Austin knew where my car was parked, and he would easily corner us there. Instead, I grabbed Graham’s hand and ran down the street, darting into the dense shrubbery of the neighborhood park at the end of the block. The sun had already set, and the shadows of the tall oak trees offered a temporary sanctuary.
We hid behind a thick brick retaining wall near the playground. Graham was shaking violently, his breathing coming in shallow, ragged gasps. I pulled him into my lap, wrapping my arms around him, pressing my hand over his mouth to quiet his hyperventilating.
"Shh, Graham, quiet, quiet like a mouse," I whispered into his ear, my own heart beating so hard I felt it in my teeth. "We're playing the secret agent game. We have to be completely silent."
Through the leaves, I saw Austin walk onto the gravel path of the park. He was holding a heavy flashlight, its bright beam cutting through the darkness, searching the bushes.
"Nellie!" he called out, his voice deceptively calm, almost sweet. "Come on out, kiddo. Let's not make this worse than it needs to be. Your mom is really worried about you. Let's go home and talk."
The flashlight beam swept over the brick wall, just inches above our heads. I held Graham tighter, closing my eyes, praying to whatever force was watching over us.
"You can't hide forever, Nellie!" Austin's voice grew more distant as he walked toward the tennis courts on the other side of the park. "And when I find you... we're going to have a real talk about respect."
The moment the flashlight beam faded into the distance, I pulled out my phone. My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped it. I dialed Elena.
She answered on the first ring. "Nellie? Are you okay?"
"Grandma," I sobbed, keeping my voice to a bare whisper. "Austin attacked us. We ran out of the house. We're hiding in the park behind the brick wall near the swings. He's looking for us with a flashlight. Please, Grandma, help us."
"I am on my way," Elena said, her voice dropping all traces of fragility. She sounded like a general preparing for battle. "I'm calling the police right now to meet me there. Do not move. Stay hidden. I'll be there in five minutes."
"Please hurry," I whispered, ending the call.
Those five minutes felt like five years. Every rustle of the wind in the dry autumn leaves sounded like Austin's footsteps. Every distant car engine sounded like my mother's car. Graham lay completely still against my chest, his small hand holding onto my shirt as if it were a life raft.
Then, the darkness of the park was suddenly illuminated by the flashing red and blue lights of two police cruisers.
The sirens were silent, but the bright, rotating lights cut through the trees like a beacon of hope. I heard the slam of car doors, and then my grandmother's voice, loud and clear.
"Over here! Officer, they're over here in the park!"
I stood up from behind the brick wall, lifting Graham into my arms. He was heavy, but the adrenaline running through my veins made him feel weightless.
"We're here!" I called out, running toward the light. "We're over here!"
Two police officers ran toward us, their flashlights illuminating our path. Behind them came Elena, her coat flying open, her face filled with an expression of pure relief and fierce determination.
"Nellie! Graham!" she cried, throwing her arms around both of us the moment we reached the pavement.
"Are you kids okay?" one of the officers asked, his hand resting on his utility belt. "Your grandmother told us what happened."
"He attacked us," I said, pointing back toward our street. "Austin. He's still in the park looking for us, or he's back at the house with my mom. He hit my brother, and he tried to attack me tonight."
The officers exchanged a look. "You stay here with your grandmother," the first officer said. "We're going to go find him."
May you like
As the officers walked into the park, their flashlights drawing long lines in the dark, Elena ushered us into the back of her warm, safe SUV. She locked the doors, turned the heater on high, and wrapped Graham in a soft, woolen blanket.
We were safe. For now. But the war had only just begun.
