Stella

Sixty-four

kidnap

Moonlight seeped its way in through the gap in the curtains. Gina slept peacefully beneath the warm down duvet. Richard had gone to attend to some urgent business, leaving her to slumber in the quiet room.

Her eyes shot open as a hand clasped over her mouth. She yelped and backed up, gasping, and trying to get away from the offender.

"Gina!" a whispered hiss called into the still air.

Gina paused and looked at Stella whose hand remained over Gina's mouth and a finger against her lips. "Stay quiet," her voice was so low it couldn't even be considered a whisper. It had dread weighing heavily in her stomach. "Someone's in the house."

Gina's eyes widened further. Her breath hitched. She looked to Stella's lowered hand that picked up a black handgun with a silencer attached. She swallowed and stared at Stella. 

"What?" was all she could get out.

"Someone is in the house," she repeated and with slow, careful movements, opened her father's bedside table. She pulled out another handgun. She checked it was loaded and looked back to Gina. "We need to go. Stay calm and stay quiet."

Gina nodded with jerky movements and slid off the bed and followed Stella and Bram out. Stella peered out and moved against the wall and down the hall. She held her breath and paused to listen, but it was too quiet and still.

She opened a door and winced as it sounded the slightest of creaks. "I'll get Lexi, you go in there. I'll come in."

Gina moved into Lucas's room. The door closed, a click barely ringing out. Gina moved to her son who was sound asleep.

Lucas woke with a start and flinched when he saw his mother's face right in front of him. "Wha-"

"Shh!" Gina slapped her hand on his mouth. "Listen, there's someone in the house. Be quiet, okay? We're going to be fine." She watched her son's eyes widen and fear settled into his gaze.

"What about Lexi? Stella?" He looked around. "Should we call the police?" He grabbed his phone and paled at the no signal alert. There wasn't even an emergency option. 

"Stella is getting Lexi." Gina moved to the window to peer outside. It looked as peaceful as ever. She wondered if Stella was just being paranoid or having some extremely vivid nightmare.

Lucas nearly gasped when the door opened, and Bram hustled in, leading Stella with Lexi following behind. Lexi hurried over to her mother and grabbed onto her arms. The room was thick with adrenaline and fear.

Stella opened the closet and moved some clothes around. "Get in," she hissed and pulled Lucas into the closet. Gina pulled Lexi in, and Stella pushed them to sit down amongst the clothes. 

Lucas frowned and grabbed her wrist. "What are you doing?"

"I have to go."

He shook his head with fervour and grabbed her arm. "No," he gritted his teeth. "I'll go, you stay here. Just tell me what you need to do."

Stella shook her head at him and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, if they're here for anyone, it's me. Robert and Father are out. The phones are down, the power is off, the security must have been taken out already. This isn't just a thief. If they find us all together like this, they'll hurt you to get to me. Okay?" She pulled out her father's handgun and stuffed it into his hands. "It's loaded. All you have to do is turn the safety off and shoot." She showed him how to switch the safety. "Just aim for the torso and get away."

Lucas gulped and looked at the heavy object in his trembling hand.

"If it's me, I'll knock three times alright? I need you to look after your mom and sister."