by Tracey Smith
Suddenly the window in front of her legs exploded, broken glass flew all around her and she felt the hot rush of air pour out from the house.
“Cassidy, jump to me! Quick!” The sound of Ben’s voice was overwhelming and she immediately obeyed, swinging her legs and releasing the gutter flinging her body towards the broken window. She felt his strong arms reach out and snag her as he pulled her inside the house and they both fell to the floor.
“How?” She cried as she reached up and touched his blood crusted face.
“I saw her drag you up the stairs.” Ben explained as he ran his hands over her checking for serious injuries. “I’ve been searching every room and then suddenly your legs came dangling in front of the hall window so I threw the table through it.”
“I was so worried about you!” Cassidy cried as she buried her head against his chest.
“Come on, we have to get out of here. Now!” Ben stood lifting Cassidy from the floor and pulling her down the hall.
They were back in the second floor hallway where they’d started, but this time the entryway was consumed with flames that were crawling up the stairs at an alarming rate. They passed them quickly and hurried to the back staircase, hoping that it would be clear. They were practically running as they rounded the corner past Ben’s room but then he stopped abruptly. Cassidy ran into his back as he took a protective stance in front of her. She leaned around his arm to see Lucy Owens standing at the end of the hall blocking their path. In her hand was a revolver.
“Why can’t you just die?!” She wailed.
“Lucy what are you doing? Ben demanded.
“I am the Chosen One! It must be done!” Lucy said, as if that should explain everything.
“What are you talking about?” Ben was steadily inching closer, keeping Cassidy safely behind him.
“I am the Chosen One.” Lucy explained calmly. “It is my job to right the wrongs, to cleanse my family of sin. I am the Chosen One.” Lucy looked at Ben pleadingly as if hoping he would suddenly understand.
“You need to let us go.” Ben said sternly. Lucy’s face fell.
“I can’t do that.” She said ominously as she raised the gun and took aim. “No one can be allowed to stand in my way.” She apologized as she cocked the gun. She took a step forward and then inexplicably crumpled to the floor. Harold stood behind her, holding the lamp that he’d just struck her with. For a moment his eyes were full of recognition, he made eye contact with Cassidy and then they were vacant once again. He dropped the lamp at his feet and turned back toward his bedroom.
Ben didn’t waste a moment, he grabbed Cassidy’s hand and began pulling her toward the stairs. Cassidy tried to pull towards the room Harold had gone into.
“We have to help him.” She said looking down the hall.
“No, Cassidy we need to get out!” Ben argued pulling her to the stairs.
“But we can’t just leave him!” Cassidy protested. Ben hesitated as he considered the risk, but refused to release his hold on her arm. Suddenly the ceiling collapsed behind them blocking the hall with a pile of flaming debris. Lucy and Harold were trapped on the other side.
“It’s too late.” Ben said solemnly. “We have to get out now.” He said urgently. Cassidy allowed him to pull her down the stairs and out the back door.
As soon as they were safely outside Ben grabbed Cassidy up into his arms and kissed her passionately while the house burned behind them. It didn’t matter that her face was battered and bruised, that her body was covered in cuts and abrasions. It didn’t matter the amount of blood he’d lost or the injuries he’d sustained. All that mattered in that moment was that they were both alive.
“I thought I’d lost you.” Ben said resting his forehead against Cassidy’s. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him fully acknowledging that she wouldn’t have wanted to survive if he hadn’t. She’d come so close to losing him and it made her realize just how much she needed him in her life.
“I love you.” She whispered against his chest as tears streaked down her cheeks. He grasped the sides of her face and turned her head up to look at him. He looked deeply into her eyes.
“I love you.” He said fervently then leaned down and kissed her in a way that somehow, impossibly made everything else ok.
They held each other for several silent minutes, both of them overcome with relief that they had somehow survived.
“Lucy was Robert Miller’s daughter. He kept her hidden in the attic and raised her to believe that her only purpose was to destroy my entire family.” Cassidy explained, still reeling from shock.
“It’s so surreal, I just can’t believe that Lucy was behind everything this entire time.” Ben shook his head in disbelief.
“She must have been born after my grandparents married and moved away. No one ever knew about her. He kept her locked in the attic.” The horror of her childhood really began to sink in and now that the danger was gone Cassidy was once again able to feel pity for the child Lucy had once been.
“She never stood a chance.” Cassidy said, imagining the cruelty she must have endured.
“Regardless of our circumstances, we all have the ability to choose. She obviously left at some point and got married. She chose to return. She chose her path.” Ben’s words were cold, there was no pity in his sentiment. Cassidy imagined the betrayal he must be feeling.
“We need to call the Sheriff.” He shook off the shadow that had come into his eyes and refocused on Cassidy.
“My cell phone is in my car.” Cassidy realized excitedly. Ben followed her to the driveway.
“But my keys were inside the house.” Cassidy said gravely as she looked toward the house that was now completely consumed with flames. Ben nodded and matter-of-factly picked up a rock and smashed the window.
“Well that worked.” Cassidy said wryly. She reached in and retrieved her phone from the middle console.
“I don’t have service up here; it picks up about a mile down the mountain.” She explained.
“Then it looks like we’re going for a walk.” Ben said. He smiled encouragingly and took Cassidy’s hand as they began the slow walk down the dirt road, both of them barefoot, bloodied and bruised.
“What’s Chicago like this time of year?” Ben asked conversationally as they ambled down the road, each of them beginning to feel the aches and pains of their injuries.
“Windy.” Cassidy answered honestly. Ben laughed.
“I could get used to windy.” Ben said, squeezing Cassidy’s hand. She leaned her head against his shoulder as they limped down the road together and left Miller’s Inn behind them, just a pile of burning ashes.
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To find more books by Tracey Smith visit her website
http://authortsmith.wix.com/romance
