The moon light that bled down the stairway from the windows above was broken up by a figure's sudden appearance. His ominous frame threw protective darkness over the place I was hidden, for which I was momentarily grateful. Holding my breath in dread, I helplessly watched the shadow diminish while he crept slowly downward.
There was no doubt in my mind his eyes had adjusted to the poor lighting with the sureness in each of his steps. My breath caught when his gaze flickered over me. In that split second, the urge to make a run for the gap under the stairs was nerve-racking, though I knew I didn't have a choice but to remain still. My survival, their survival, rested on our ability to remain unseen. With as little noise as possible, I dipped my head back into my position behind the sofa, peeking over it's arm.
"I know you're here kiddies. Come out. Come out where ever you are and play," His rasping voice sounded, both feet resting firmly on the ground. "You're the last you should know. It'll all be over once I find you…" His voice faded.
A whimper was amplified in the silence of the basement. My body tensed instantly at the offending noise echoing off the walls of my mind. The figure hesitated, and I gazed on horrified as he glanced back toward the stairs- the stairs where the kids were hidden. I wanted to scream, scream at them to run, to save themselves. Biting my lip to keep quite, my mind was working overtime. How was I going to get us all out of this situation?
Panicking, I grabbed the only thing in my reach, one of my shoes. I untied my filthy laces in a rush. Slipping off the shoe, I flung it down the far hall then quickly ducked back down. The shoe came in contact with a bedroom door. The figure, who was so close to discovering us, took off after the crash and I sighed in relief.
With the little time I had, I pulled myself up and over the sofa, slinked to the stairs and squeezed inside the gap next to my niece and nephew.
"Are you two ok?" I asked the shaking toddlers.
"We d-d-don't l-l-like this game a-a-anymore." Madison spoke for her and her little brother.
"He got mommy."
Taking the crying Kelby's hand in my hand, I looked at Madison, "It's almost over, I promise. All we have to do is make it outside to our safety place. Do you remember where that is?"
"The tree house," whispered Madison.
"Right, once we're there, we'll be safe. Madison," I said quietly to the four year old, "when I wave, come out with Kelby. We have to make it up the stairs before he comes back. Got it? Good." Wishing I didn't have too, I let the little hand slip from mine.
Before stepping out, I peeked around the railing to make sure it was safe for the kids. Creasing my brow, I inspected the family room. Shinning undisturbed, the moon left nothing protected by its light. It was then I realized, to my dismay, what had kept me cloaked from him, would now be a problem for us.
"Kids," I signaled for them to come out, "Let's go, and try not to make a sound." Pushing them ahead of me, we began climbing the flight of steps. Never before had those stairs been so intimidating to me.
Half way up is when I lost my traction on my sock clad foot. The booming sound seemed to me two storms clashing, pulsating off mountains, with how loud it was. Madison and Kelby looked down at me from a few steps above. Mouthing to them to wait I ignored the pain in my backside and I held still, listening.
There was the sound I was waiting for, of feet moving quickly from the hall below me. I swore and quickly picked up speed, taking the steps two at a time.
"Go kids, I'm right behind you!" I yelled. Not waiting to be told again like they usually did, they took off at the top of the stairs.
"No you won't," I heard the panting voice behind me still on the stairs, "I'm not letting you get free!"
The lump in my throat had to have been my heart at that moment, as I rounded the corner the kids had taken. Down the entry hall I ran, feeling my pursuer's fingers grasping at the fabric of my shirt. Throwing the door wide open, I could see the towering tree house and its occupants. Good, I thought, the kids weren't the only ones who made it.
Barely was I past the door when a rough hand seized me from behind. Shrieking in fright, I used my foot still with a shoe to stomp down hard and tore free as he gasped at his throbbing toe. Pushing myself to the limit I covered the ground to the tree like a rabbit being chased by a fox. Pulling myself up the latter hastily, I stood up in the heaving platform.
Glancing around, I saw in satisfaction the rest of my family up in that tree with silly grins on their faces. Down on the ground I could see the glare on my older brother's face, which made a smirk appear on my own. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled at the top of my lungs,
"Free, Free, Free!"
MW
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