Brianna
“I’m so glad I found you. You have no idea
what it took for me to find you,
baby girl.”
His words echoed in my ears as I stood there
staring. He was here. He was really here. I was frozen, unable to move. I
needed to get away. Away from him. Away from here.
Red! screamed
in my head but refused to come out of my mouth. It was as if I’d suddenly
swallowed a mouthful of cotton. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. Fear took
over. My chest tightened, making it harder to breathe.
I stumbled backward, still trying to speak, but
nothing would come out. I had to get away. Stephan. I needed Stephan.
As I moved farther into the living room, he
followed me. He was like a giant, filling the space. I’d always thought
Stephan’s place was large, but now it felt very small as John stalked toward
me. The panic continued to rise, but I fought it. Breathe. Remember to breathe. Stephan. Think about Stephan.
Oxygen tore through my lungs with every intake of
air. I was breathing, but it wasn’t doing its job. It wasn’t calming me. My
father had come for me.
Every step I took, he matched and then some. I
couldn’t get away. He was bigger, stronger. Why? Why was he here? What did he
want with me?
Turning my back on him for the first time, I ran
toward the phone. I stumbled over the coffee table on my way and righted myself.
I knew he was close, but I had to try. I had to try to call Stephan.
My hands trembled as I picked up the phone. I didn’t
get any further than that. Before my fingers could touch the keys, he snatched
the phone out of my hands, tossing it to the floor behind him.
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