“Ben, I need a report on those doors.”
Nothing. No response.
Admittedly, that made me nervous. I signaled Tony to get his attention and pointed to Joie.
He nodded in acknowledgment.
“Abe,” Tony called out. “Anything?”
There was no reply.
Just as I stepped back to leave, I heard Tony call out one more time.
“Abe, come in. Ben?”
Moving to the stairwell, I saw Tony rush from the switch room. “Peter, bolt this.” He called out then shut the switch room door and called to me as he ran. “Take her to your room… now.” He lifted the radio. “Skyler, I need you on the second floor.”
“Already in route.”
“Abe. Do you read?” Pause. “Abe.”
Then everything stopped.
At least for me it did.
It seemed as if everything was suspended in time when a male voice spoke over the radio and it was not Abe.
“Abe’s not available. But will I do?” the gruff voice spoke. “I’m already here.”
The sound of the unknown voice sent a bolt through me, causing a shot of nerves to tingle every inch of my body. With a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and legs feeling like jelly, I didn’t even bother to look to see what Tony was doing. I clenched Joie and high tailed it to those stairs. Our floor was one flight down and my room was not that far.
That was my safety goal.
36 – UNLIKELY
They came and had made it inside.
That was what was on my mind as I ran top speed down that single flight of stairs. That voice that called over Abe’s radio. We used three channels. One for security, one for general chatter and one that no one but Peter and I used to chat back and forth.
Tony had his radio on the security channel. That voice was familiar. It was Lenny. Without a doubt in my mind, it was Lenny.
My concern was on Joie and getting her to my room. The theory was, if anyone broke into our bunker, they would be more concerned with getting our weapons and our strong people. Those people wouldn’t be hiding in their rooms. So there was a safety factor.
Just as I arrived at my room, I saw the two fire hall children race down the hall in the direction of the stairs.
Nelly moved as best as she could. She wasn’t spry or young, so it was difficult.
“Here, come in here with, Joie.” I said. “I’ll get them.”
“No. No. I got this, go.”
She hurried passed me yelling to the kids to stop.
Why were they running?
I flew into my room with Joie, still holding her tight. After shutting the door, I realized… there wasn’t a lock. I never noticed because I never locked my door.
“Are you kidding me?” I blasted at the door.
“What’s wrong?” Joie asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I set her down and inched her back. “Go by the other door.”
The door opened inward, and not only did I have to secure the main door, but the adjacent door was well. I looked around. What did I have? The dresser, the table, the bed, the chairs. What would be easier to move, yet keep that door shut?
The chairs. I would prop one under the door handle.
I took a second to gather my thoughts. There was no more chatter on the radio and I smacked it against my hand to make sure it was working. The light blinked. Nothing.
Immediately I was struck with fear. What happened? What was wrong? But I couldn’t let that consume me. A clear head was needed. Maybe everything was all right. Surely, if there was a take over there would be gun shots?
If I heard chickens in the middle of the night, I would hear shots.
Nothing.
It was eerily quiet, like the calm before the storm.
The suddenly, I heard the ‘bang’ of the second floor stairwell door. A sound I was used to because every time Duke walked through that door, he let it slam.
That was the sound I heard.
But it was more pronounced as if done loudly on purpose. It caused me to jump. It wasn’t a good sign, I knew it and felt it.
I spun to Joie and told her, “Hide.” Then grabbed the chair and ran to my door.
Everything Tony had said, felt and tried to convey, proved me wrong right there and then when the door blasted open and Lenny stood there.
I remember the clothes we gave him, the dark green button work shirt and dark pants, and he still wore the same clothes.
Had it been a movie, the cliché scenario would have him shut the door, pull out a gun and erupt into some deep speech on how he had returned, why he returned, and what he was going to do.
But it didn’t happen like that.
He blasted open that door, and stood with his arms to his side like a gorilla waiting to attack. He kicked back with his foot to slam the door and I got one call out on the radio, “Tony!”
That was it.
It happened so fast. He reached out for me, knocking the radio from my hand, grabbed my arm and yanked me to him.
I didn’t see a weapon, but did he really need one?
He pulled me into him and my chest hit his. He lifted me up by my arm and my shoulder ached as I fought to stand on tip toes.
He wasn’t getting the best of me. I struggled and fought, even though he was a much bigger man.
My left hand slammed into his gut, but it didn’t make a difference. He whipped out his other hand, slapped it against and over my face and spun me around.
His hand nearly suffocated me. It covered my mouth and the foul stench of his fingers crept up my nose.
He braced his arm around my waist pulling me against him, my back to his chest, and he whispered in my ear. “Easy now. Just gonna take you to the others.”
I shifted my body back and forth, left to right.
“Though I think you and I may have some fun before I cut your fucking head…”
His words ended with a grunt, his hold released at the same time as he groaned out a quick cry of pain.
I fell immediately to the floor. He grabbed at my shirt in an attempt to hold on. As I hit the carpet, I saw the reason.
Without a doubt, she proved that she was her father’s daughter, even at five years old.
Joie stood there, looking in shock, her eyes wide. Protruding from Lenny’s thigh was the pair of scissors.
Joie’s scissors, the ones she used to make her collage.
“Run,” I ordered Joie. Without hesitation, I yanked the scissors from his leg while at the same time he snatched me from the floor and brought me back to him. I swung my hand upward and jammed the scissors directly into the center of his throat.
He released me and stumbled back, gurgling as he did. Before he could grab the scissors, I did. I was motivated by fear and rage fueled by something that caused me not to think, only to react. I pulled the scissors from his throat, and buried them into his neck again. Once more I retracted them and did so quickly. Lenny’s hands shot to his throat and blood poured over his fingers. He tipped forward, stammering and his eyes lifted. He fought to keep his balance, and as I made eye contact with him, I jammed the scissors into his ear.
That was the final blow.
Lenny’s hands dropped, his head cocked up and then Lenny fell face forward to the floor. He landed hard, making a crunching sound when he connected.
My head spun and I tried not to think about what I had just done. My shoulders shook as I fought to catch my breath. A pool of blood was forming under Lenny’s body, and I stepped back lifting Joie.
“Oh my God, thank you.” I kissed her. “Thank you.” I kissed her again.
Her frail arms wrapped around my neck.
My first inkling was to run, race from the room and get help, but I didn’t. Reality kicked in. What if there were more right outside the door? What if there wasn’t any help?
I had to think.