Junior's Luck

Junior's Luck-Chapter 14

More footsteps sounded in the hall. Quick and deliberate, they stopped outside the door. The person in the room sucked in air, making a squeaking sound.

In the silence of the next few seconds, Kelsey's heart beat against the bone and cartilage of his rib cage with such force that he crossed his arms around his chest, fearful the pounding would be heard. Sitting there waiting for something to happen, scared of getting caught, Kelsey's bladder began to ache. If he didn't pee soon, he'd wet his pants. But there was no safe place to relieve himself. He and Junior were trapped.

"Laura?" the person in the hall called. "Laura? Are you in there?"

Kelsey recognized the voice as Hartley's. He remembered Laura was the name of Hartley's fiance, the beautiful woman who had shown him and his father around the mansion the previous Saturday.

Laura sniffled and sobbed.

"Laura, let me in. You're all upset about nothing. Let me in. I'll explain."

"Nothing? You call a machine gun nothing? You call shooting up a wall nothing?

"Let me in. You're acting childish."

"Why is that man here? This is supposed to be our house."

"It will be, Laura. I promise. Now please, let me in."

Kelsey rooted for Laura not to let Hartley in. The darkness protected Junior and him for now. If Hartley entered, he'd turn on the lights for sure.

Laura didn't answer, and she didn't open the door. After a few moments of tense silence, there came a loud bang on the door, like Hartley had thrown a fist into it. It startled Kelsey, who was trying to ignore the urgent need to use the bathroom. He almost peed his pants right there.

"All right! Stay in there if that's how you want it. Jean is not leaving until his work is done."

"Then I'm leaving you!"

"You're not going anywhere. Too much money is at stake. Don't try to sneak off, either. Jean doesn't like deserters."

"Is he running your life now?"

Hartley didn't answer. Laura continued to sniffle.

In a gentle voice, Hartley said, "You'll understand when this business is over."

Hartley's footfalls carried him away from the door, down the hall, and into silence. Laura whimpered as if she were an abandoned child.

Kelsey wanted to comfort her. She's too beautiful to be treated that way, he thought. Hartley deserved to get into trouble, but first he and Junior needed to find evidence they could give to the police.

"Business?" Laura said to herself between sniffles. "What business is worth destroying what we have? What business needs that creep, Jean, with the machine gun? God! A machine gun. He makes inappropriate comments and looks at me in ways that offend me. Danny, oh Danny, open your eyes and see what's going on."

Laura broke down and cried. Her bawling grew so intense, Kelsey didn't think she would ever stop. But after a few minutes, she pulled herself together and left.

"Let's go," Kelsey whispered to Junior.

To Kelsey's surprise, Junior agreed. "I need more medicine."

Chilly air rushed about them, and a pale blue light filled the room. The mattress and box springs vibrated against the wall, chasing Junior and Kelsey out into the open, where Junior fell to the floor. Everything around them seemed to be alive and moving. The floorboards rippled in waves, the chest of drawers hopped around like a kangaroo, the drawers opening and slamming shut in a staccato percussion. The closet door flapped back and forth like a bird's wing against a stiff wind. Cardboard boxes rocketed to the ceiling, then fell back to the floor.