Finding Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book One

Chapter 31. Uninvited*

Chapter 31. Uninvited by Alanis Morissette

Evan walked wearily up the sidewalk to her front porch, the last of five night shifts behind her. It was late morning, as she had to stay behind to catch up on all of her documentation. As was often the case, early spring-like weather had brought out some of the worst behavior in the inner city. There had been several patients who had come into the ER after fighting, sporting knife and gun shot wounds, head trauma, and broken bones. The other common patient that appeared on the unseasonably warm March nights tended to be teens out drinking and joy-riding, a combination that didn't mix well.

Evan tried to put the last five nights from her mind, instead thinking ahead to this afternoon, when Emil had told her he would return. The last five days had felt like an eternity away from Emil. Evan had come to anticipate his cool hands on her body, the solidness of him beside her when she slept, and the mesmerizing lilt of his accent. She hadn't slept well all week and was looking forward to sleep almost as much as seeing Emil. She wasn't sure what he had planned, but he had told her to be ready for a night on the town. Her mind was all over the place, wondering where they were going to go. Evan put the key in the lock, smiling and humming softly. Just as she turned the knob to open the door, her breath was knocked from her as her body was slammed against the door.

The next thing she knew, she was being forced into her home, a large, hot, sweaty hand covering her mouth and nose, making each breath painful and difficult. Her left arm was twisted behind her back painfully, held captive by an iron fist. Suddenly she was thrust forward and away from her captor, the sound of locks falling into place barely registering in her mind. She fell into the stairs and hit her head on the corner of the banister. The searing pain that burst behind her eyes triggered a wave of nausea. Her eyes blurred with tears from the pain and terror. Evan tried to get to her hands and knees, but was unsuccessful, falling forward onto her face and forearms because of the tilting of the floor. The blood dripping into her eyes didn't help her vision. Evan felt the blood trickle through her hair, down her back and onto her arms as she rolled over. Dizziness caused her world to spin. She sat back against the steps, trying to see who was there. She could vaguely make out a tall male form, with a ball cap on obscuring his face somewhat. The voice that spoke next chilled her to the bone. It was the voice that still haunted her dreams.

"How you doing, Dr. Whitman?" the cruel voice mocked sarcastically. "I told you no one turned me down. What you did with the Medical Director was a mistake. I didn't do anything you and every other slut out there wouldn't want. You must be fucked in the head. I'm going to make you pay for everything I lost. You cost me my career. You cost me my pride. You can't get away with it. I'm really going to enjoy making you pay. And we both know how long I can draw out your punishment."

Mocking laughter echoed evilly through the room as he advanced on her. Evan whimpered, and tried to crawl up the stairs, away from Matt Thomas. As she reached to the next step above her with her hands, his big hands grasped her ankles and dragged her down and into the living room. Her head bounced once more off the steps, darkness threatening to close in on her as her vision filled with black spots and her ears began to ring. She struggled, not knowing what he would do to her if she didn't fight back.

Now she was on her back, still being dragged by her feet through the living room. She clawed at the rug, the furniture, and finally grasped at a figurine on the side table, but it crashed to the floor.

Matt Thomas laughed a cruel laugh. "Ah ah ah. Don't get any ideas. I will kill you if I have to. Your boyfriend isn't here to stop me either. I know. I've been watching you. He's gone and has been for a while. I've got plenty of time to let you know just what a mistake you made." He pulled her roughly behind him by one ankle, banging her against the doorjamb.

Evan was now in the kitchen lying on the floor, trying to kick her legs free from the maniac's tight grasp. It seemed the harder she fought, the tighter his grasp became. Next he was pulling at her scrub pants, trying to pull them down. She panicked and tried to scream then began twisting and flailing like an alligator in a death roll. Her lip burst when he struck her across the face with the back of his hand, the salty blood pouring into her mouth and running down her chin to blend with the sticky blood already there from her head wound. The tears were freely flowing from her eyes now and a constant whimper rose from her throat. He continued to struggle with her clothing, and the thought crossed her mind to just lay still and let him have his way, that if he got what he wanted he would just leave. Evan willed her reflexively resistant body to be still and she looked up at the tin ceiling above her, staring at a curl in the pattern. She felt his hot breath on her neck and heard his rough breathing as he worked at his clothing. She knew what was coming and the hot tears in her eyes streamed down her face, mixing with the blood, a red haze covering her eyes. He had finally just ripped her scrub pants when he could not untie them.

He began to move against her, becoming frustrated when his body did not cooperate with his intentions. She didn't feel any intrusion by his body yet, and hoped he would leave her alone. Then his anger turned on her. He put his forearm on her throat and the pressure made her eyes bulge. Her hands reached up and began clawing at his face, the contact with his skin sending repulsive waves of manic energy into her. Matt Thomas' eyes were enraged and the lines on his face terrified her. His lips were drawn back in a sneer, spit stringing between his bared teeth. He tried to put his mouth on hers, but she turned her face away as far as she could. He began hitting her face and bit her cheek then continued to scream at her with unintelligible words when his flaccid body would not work to complete his goal.

The pain in her head threatened to push her out of consciousness as he continued to choke her and smack her. She swallowed the cries that clawed for escape from her throat. His hand pushed harder on her throat. Evan's vision burst with white popping lights, feeling like she was floating out of her body, her limbs felt as if they contained sand. This wasn't the way she wanted to die. She felt her arms drop to her sides and her legs stop pushing against her assailant. She willed herself to keep breathing. The last thought she had was of Emil and his beautiful face, and how much she wanted to tell him that she loved him.