Don't Fall in Love in Witness Protection

Chapter 18: I spy... something beginning with E

C H A P T E R  ( 1 8 )

'Mum?' Ellie called out into the empty hallway.

The front door was wide open which was odd, but what really struck her as strange was the absolute dead silence that followed her voice.

'Mum? Hello?' She called out again shutting it behind her. 'Why's the door open?'

Silence again.

Ellie made her way through the hallway dropping her bag on the kitchen counter. She adjusted her school uniform as she opened the fridge trying to find something to snack on. She closed the door pulling out a can of diet coke, and as she opened it she heard a muffled crash.

Ellie tilted her head to the side to listen, she wasn't sure if it was the crack of opening the can or an actual sound she heard.

'Mum?' She tried again.

Frowning she headed toward the sound nearly tripping over a cushion lying at the entrance to the living room.

'What the-' she muttered leaning down to pick it up as another muffled thump made Ellie's head snap up scanning the room in front of her. 'Oh God...' Ellie's mouth dropped open in horror and confusion as she spotted her mother sprawled out on the couch her hands bound in front of her and a piece of masking tape across her mouth. 'Mum?' Her voice broke as she moved toward her in blind terror.

Her mother shook her head wildly, her eyes fixated on something in the corner of the room. She was telling Ellie to stop, to run away.

'Well if it isn't my beautiful girl.'

The voice startled Ellie, she stopped in her tracks turning to face the man standing in the corner of her living room. She blinked carefully not believing who she saw. 'Why are you... What are you doing here?' Her voice was barely above a whisper. 'What have you done to Mum?'

'She was being rude,' his eyes turned dark as he glared at the bound woman on the couch. They softened again as he turned to Ellie, he loved her.

'You were late home from school,' he smiled. 'Where did you go?'

Ellie shook her head in confusion, was he being serious? Did he expect a bloody conversation with her while her mother was tied up on the couch? 'I don't understand, why are you here? Why are you doing this?'

'Don't be silly Ellie, you're a smart girl I know that.'

Ellie shook her head and dashed over to her mother attempted to rip apart the ropes that bound her together. She had barely tugged on her wrists when she felt a strong, powerful grip around her waist yanking her backwards throwing her against the couch.

Ellie let out a strangled scream as her head hit the back of the couch with a loud crack. She felt the tears streaming down her face now, but not because of the throbbing she felt in her head, because she was realized she didn't know this man at all. She didn't know what he was capable of.

She glanced at her mother, while he fixed the ropes that bound her hands. She prayed her mother would know she was doing this to save them and not to save her own skin. And she bolted.

Straight up, out the living room door trying to ignore the throbbing and dizziness from the head bump. She sprinted through the hallway to the only room she knew had a sturdy door and lock.

'Ellie!' He bellowed, swearing loudly he followed after her.

She reached the bathroom seeing his distorted face one last time before slamming the door and locking it. Pulling her mobile phone out of her pocket she quickly dialed emergency, the tears freely falling now as he begun to bang on the door.