The Escape

Chapter 12

JACE

I'd searched the entire first floor and upstairs and came up empty when I heard a gunshot. I ran down to the basement, the only place I hadn't been, and found Abby lying on the ground and Dante nowhere to be seen.

"Abby!" I rushed over to her to check her pulse, even though she was wide awake. She'd been shot in the leg.

"I'm okay. I told you I didn't know how to shoot a gun. Dante knocked it from my hand while I still had my finger on the trigger. The bullet bounced and hit me. Once I went down, Dante ran. He's gone."

I shook my head. "It's okay. We can worry about him later. Right now, we need to worry about you and Bella." I looked over and saw Bella against the wall. "Are you okay, Bella?"

Bella nodded. "I wanna go home, Jace." Bella shivered. "I'm cold and hungry."

"Come on; we'll take your sister to the hospital and get warm. We will get some food there, too."

Bella ran over to me and hugged me. "Is Abby gonna die?"

Abby looked at me, I looked at her, then back at Bella. "No, she's going to be alright. Let's get out of here." I scooped Abby up in my arms, and her arms were placed around my neck. Bella followed behind me.

"What about Mommy?" Bella asked as we almost made it out the door.

"What about her?" I asked. I saw Bella pointing at Nina on the ground, probably overdosing on drugs. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed 911 for them to come. "Help is coming for her, but she will go away. What your mommy did was a bad thing."

"I know. She took me from preschool, and she wasn't supposed to. Mommy had that man kill my teacher. She told him, too. I liked my teacher."

I put Abby in the front seat and then Bella into her lap and buckled her up. It'd have to do for now since I didn't have another vehicle with me. "It's all going to be alright." I kissed her on the head and closed the door.

They retrieved the bullet from Abby's leg at the hospital, and everything became okay for now. The only problem was that Dante was on the run and could return anytime. I didn't know what he could do, but I'm sure it was a long list. The cops weren't going to stop looking for him. He was wanted for the murder of that teacher and a lot more.

I had Bella in my arms. Her little arms were wrapped around my neck as we walked into Abby's hospital room. "Hey," I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Bella had fallen asleep on my shoulder. Abby turned her head to look at me and smiled.

"Hey, is she doing okay?" Abby asked. I nodded. "Good. I'm glad she's sleeping. Did she get any food?"

"She did. Lauren and Rose were with her a few minutes ago. I scooped her up to bring her to you, but she fell asleep." I rubbed Bella's back and smiled. Bella was a good kid and a cute sleeper.

"That's okay. She needs to get some sleep. She needs a break from all of this. I think Bella needs a break from me. Look at all that has happened. It has nothing to do with you. It's all because of me." Abby shook her head, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Abby, don't say that. It's not because of you. Don't blame yourself for what's happened. Hold on; I'll be right back." I got up from the edge of the bed and found Lauren outside with Rose. I handed Bella off to Lauren. "Can you watch her for a little while? Maybe a couple of days. Abby needs a break. She's stressing herself out about all that's happening. Blaming herself for what happened to Bella."

Lauren nodded. "Of course, I can help. Tell Abby I can watch Bella anytime and tell her this is not her fault. This stuff happens. Not to everyone, but it does happen in the world we live in today."