In Your Shadow (27 page)

Grabbing his pants, he slips them on slowly. Reaching down he picks his shirt up and buttons it. His ribs were thumping like they had a pulse.

“I have to get out of here.” He thought.

Walking back over to the bed and sits down trying to pull his composer together. He waited for a moment to see if he heard any noise. He heard dishes clattering. Opening the door, he walks slowly on the hardwood floor until he reached where the noise was coming from.  There she was standing over the stove cooking breakfast with her hair in a ponytail and jeans and a t-shirt. For a spit second he seen Katie. Walking softly to the small table he sat down watching her cook. She was the same size as Katie, only think different was the color of her hair. He was so infatuated by her, but he knew this wasn’t Katie.

Star could hear the floor crackling behind her, when she turned around and he was sitting at the table.

“I see you are up. Just getting breakfast started I hope you are hungry.” She said turning back around to scrambled eggs.

“I have to thank you for everything.” His voice full of gratitude.

She turns around and takes him a plate, staring straight in his eyes. Before she could get his juice poured he was already eating. He ate like he was staving to death. He never said a word just continued to eat.

“Would you like some more? I have plenty.” She offered, he could see that he hadn’t eat in a while.

“Yes please!”

She filled his plate again, this time when she looked at him he had a different look on his face. His eyes were darker then last night, more cold. It sent a sudden chill down her spine.

“Tom, I’m going to get some hay for the animal out of the barn this morning, do you need anything before I go!”

“I can help you.” He answered quickly not trusting her to go alone.

She really didn’t like that idea but she had no other choose.

“Do you think you are up to it?”

“I need to build my strength up and the only way to do it is move around some.”

He didn’t want to let her out of his sight. He would make it there and back even if it killed him.

“Alright, but if you start to hurt I will stop and head back.”

She turned around and started doing her dishes. Thinking it was a bad mistake to bring him here. Her son always told her that her trusting nature would get her in trouble. She was hoping he wasn’t right this time. She walked back over to get his plate and he was standing up in the doorway. He didn’t look the same as he did yesterday, he stared with no expression on his face at all. He was almost to creepy to look at.

Star walked pass him and got her keys to her jeep. Just being that close to him gave her an un easy feeling.

“Ready.” She said holding the door opened.

She started it right up and he jumped in. She followed the trail back to the barn constantly looking on the ground.

“What’s wrong? What are you looking for?”

“I dropped my phone when I picked you up.”

“We will find it Katie. Sorry I mean Star.” It slipped off his touch before he could think.

It was so hard for him not to call her that because she reminds him of her.

“Whose Katie? Is she your wife are girlfriend?”

A slight smile came across his face when he heard the word wife. Even the word girlfriend made his eyes sparkle.

“She’s just a friend, but I am hoping one day it will turn into something more.”

Before she could say a word she seen a reflection of something on the ground so she stopped. There was her phone laying on the top of the grass.

“There it is?” She was so relieved.

“Your phone.”

“Yes.” She reached down and picked it up and quickly putting it in her pocket.

Pulling up right beside the door of the barn she walks in and gets some hay and throws it on the back of the small trailer she was pulling. She watched him go in and walk around his car and then he gets in the front seat and started it.

She took a deep breath relieved that it started. Walking in behind him she looked over in the window she seen the seats were covered in blood. The color drain from her face instantly looking at such a horrifying sight. She didn’t notice it last night when she pulled him out of it. Nausea hit her hard she felt like she was going to start gaging. Taking a deep breath, she turns her head and starts walking away.

“How is that possible? How could someone lose so much blood and still be alive? What in the world happened? What kind of trouble is he in?” All these thoughts going through her head as she starts to panic. There was something that just wasn’t right. She began to get an eerie feeling about him. Stepping a few feet back she turned and walked toward the door.

He seen her walking off so he jumps out of the car.

“Where are you going?”

She stopped a few inches from the door, not being able to move with just the sound of his voice.

“I am taking the hay to the animals.” Her voice was scratchy.

“I will help you.” He noticed she was a little nervous around him now.

Her face was pale after she had seen the looks of the inside of his car. Knowing that she seemed anxious to leave. He had to keep is eyes on her. Time was essential at this point. All he needed was just a few days to get things in order. He wasn’t going to let her turn him in.

They drove to another field where her horses were. She gets out and starts throwing the hay on the ground. He watched her carefully noticing she never looked his way. Her back was turned to him and she looked like she had something in her hands. He jumps out of the seat and walks over to her and seen she had her phone.

“Calling someone.” His voice deep and harsh.

She jumped at the sound of his voice as her phone slipped out of her hand and hits the ground. He reaches down and picks it up.

Her heart racing so fast she could feel every beat. Looking down at his hand as he held her phone tightly.

“Oh no Tom I was just seeing if it worked it had been out for two days.” She said trying not to sound nervous.

“I will check it out for you when we get back.” He gave her a slight smile, as he just stared into her eyes. He could see panic and fear written all over her now.

He puts it in his pocket with his hand touching her back leading her back to the jeep. She was trembling so bad she could barely put it in drive.

He looked over at her face when his phone started to vibe in his pocket. Reaching in his pocket he put the phone to his ear, nothing but silence on the other end. Finally, the voice on the other end spoke.

“Hello.”

His heart jumped out of his chest and started beating so fast it took his breath. He started to tremble. Shocked to even here that voice.

“Hello” the woman voice said again.

Now he knew for sure, it was Katie voice.

“How did she get this number? Am I dreaming, why would she call me.”

His mind going crazy as he held the phone to his ear. A few seconds later it went dead. He was so nervous he couldn’t focus on anything but her. Trying to hold his composer as they pulled up at her house.

Star stormed out of the vehicle and runs in the house and slams the door and locks it. She was trembling so bad she couldn’t breathe.

John get out of the car and starts beating on the door, he was in rage no.

“Star open the door.” He yells.

She runs to the other door and locks it noticing her windows was up. Frozen in fear, she jumped as the door groaned open. Tears rolled down her face as she run to her bedroom. Barely shutting the door before he started hitting the it with his fist.

“Open the door Star, I’m not going to hurt you. Please.”

She stood there trembling in fear with her adrenaline running though her veins like running water. She looked over at her window and it was open. She climbed out and started running around the house.

She jumps as she heard her door hit the wall, ducking down behind her bushes. She seen his head stick out of the window.

“Star” he yells again.

“I will find you. Answer me know” yelling at the top of his voice.

Tears running down her face as her knees started knocking together. She covers her mouth with her hands as she watches his head go back inside. Taking a deep breath, she was afraid to move.

Tom knew she was going to the police, he ran out the door and got in her jeep. The keys were still in it, so he starts the vehicle and backs it up. Driving slowing around the house looking out the window.

She seen him a few feet from her as she ducks her head even further in the brush. Watching him go back around the house. She jumps out and heads for some trees jumping over a fallen stump she ducks behind it and lays on the ground. He was still circling the house looking. Her legs were burning and she could hardly breathe. Her eyes scanned the area looking for a place to hide, this was the only place he couldn’t see. After a few deep shaking breathes, she knew she had to run as far and fast as she could. The neighbor was a mile away. If she could only get to her horse’s she could ride one across. She knew that was no use it was too opened and he would see her. She sat there for a minute before she seen him move towards the barn. She jumps up and runs through the woods. Tripping over veins and limbs that was on the ground she finally stopped and hit behind a tree. Her heart beating so loud she couldn’t hear nothing else. Breathing in and out trying to catch her breath, she could finally her jeep. It sounded like he was right behind her.

“Oh my God he is right behind me!” she was in a state of panic.

She wanted to turn around and look but if he seen her it was over he would catch her. She just stood there frozen to the tree not making any kind of sound. Suddenly, the woods got quiet, she couldn’t hear anything not even her vehicle. Kneeling down to the ground she puts her head down in her knees. Taking deep breaths, she tries to slow down her heart rate and her breathing. Then the vehicle started back it was closer then she thought, it sounded like it was right behind this tree. Looking around she seen him a few feet in front of her, she quickly lays down on the ground and covers herself with leaves, she knew if she moved he would see her. Her body trembling in fear, petrified. She laid there for it seemed forever before her jeep moved away. Hearing it in a distance she got up and dusted herself off. Looking around she didn’t see him so ran until she seen a break in the woods. The road was coming in view, if she could just get to the neighbor’s house she would be ok. She was only a few feet from the road about that time the jeep came flying past her. She ducks down on the ground praying he didn’t see her. His breaks lights go on and he starts to back up towards her. She runs back into the woods and jumps behind a fallen tree. Peaking around the side she seen him staring straight her way. She was staking so bad at this point she knew she was going to die. Holding her breath trying not to breath, she just sat there until she couldn’t hear anything at all. Her knees were knocking so bad she knew that he could hear them. Holding her legs with her arms, she listened for him.

Finally, it seemed hours had passed and she heard nothing, not even animal. It was just silent. Her arms started to burn as she turned and looked at the scratches from the brushes and limbs that she had fallen on. She peeks around the corner and she didn’t see him. She jumped up and started running again this time she stayed in the woods just a few feet from the road. Her heart beating so fast she having trouble breathing. Stopping for a few minutes to catch her breath, looking around to make sure he wasn’t around. Finally, she seen her neighbor’s house came in view. Their truck was in the driveway. She was so excited that they were home. She looked around to see if she seen Tom, but nothing. She picks the pace running so fast her side was starting to hurt. Stopping at the door she banged on it until someone opened it.

“Oh my dear what is wrong.” Mrs. Williams ask.

Katie runs in her house and closed the door. Star sat down in a chair with her body trembling trying to talk but she was breathing so hard she couldn’t speak.

“Calm down, let me call for help.”

Mrs. Williams called the police and they were there less than ten minutes.

……

John finally gives up Star was gone, she had too much of a lead. He knew that she was going for help and he had to get out of here.

“Damn it, Katie?” he mumbles out loud.

He got back to the barn and pulled his stuff out of the car. He knew at this point they had an I D of his vehicle so he jumps back in the jeep and makes one more run around her house before he drives off.

Headed to the road he thought he seen something in the woods he backs up and takes a look but it wasn’t nothing but a rabbit crossing the street. He put it in forward and drives slowly ahead. He seen a house on the corner, pushing down on the gas he kept going until the woods was in his rearview mirror. He sees the highway and jumps on it.

“Where the hell am I going to go?” he was so angry no he had nowhere and no money.

It seemed like he drove for miles when he looked down and he seen a few dollars in her console. He pulls beside a gas station and counts it.

“Ten dollars isn’t going to get me anywhere.”

His brain started thinking, he had to get back to his mother’s house. She has money in her safe, and he needed to get it. Looking down at his gas gage he noticed it was all most on empty. He puts the ten dollars in gas and heads into town, he barely made it to a parking lot a few block from Daniel Enterprise and he parked. Jumping out of the car he starts to walk to her building. His side was hurting so he ducked down in an alley and sat there between two boxes and dosed off. The sound of his phone vibrating in his pocket and woke him up. He looked down at the number and it said unknown. He started no to answer it but he put it to his ear. It was silent for a few seconds before someone said hello.

He started trembling again, it was Katie. Just hearing her voice made him want to jump and run to her. All the things she had done just didn’t matter, just her mattered. He tried to speak but words wouldn’t come out of his mouth.

“Hello Tom.”

He heard that soft voice again.

“How does she know it is me? Does she want me this time? Has she come to her sense’s. What is going on?” Questions after questions went through his mind as he sat there and held it to his ear.

“My sweet Katie, you will finely be mine.” He thought.