In The Eyes of Gracie - Unedited Version - Being Rewritten

Chapter 4

The only thing i can think of as I rush out of the house is, what if I'm too late? And what has she done? Worse.. What has he done? I grab the car keys and run out to my moms old car. I haven't been here since my mom died. I couldn't bring myself to drive it but right now i have no choice. I crank the car and pull out of the drive way. Its almost 2 in the morning so thank God there wont be as much traffic.

I look down at my speedometer to see how fast I'm going. 70, but in the back of my head I'm thinking , not fast enough. I shouldn't have let her go home. She should've stayed with me or I should've gone with her. This is all my fault. Gracie's house isn't too much farther but i know I should probably park away from the house and sneak into Gracie's room if it is her father that has caused this.

I see her house in the distance and I jump out and run to the back yard. All of the lights are on in the house and I can hear the muffled shouts of Kim and John but I don't hear Gracie. I look up at Gracie's window and i can see the dim light if her lamp but nothing else. I look around hoping to find a way to climb up. There's got to be some way but there isn't. I cant just stand here. What do i do though?

I walk over to the kitchen door which is right beside the stairs going to Gracie's room. If i could just get to those stairs and run up with out being seen then i could get to her. I try to wiggle the door knob but its locked. So is the window. The only other way to Gracie is through the laundry room window but to get to the stairs i know ill have to sneak past the hall way and risk John seeing me. I walk over to the living room window and i can see John grabbing Kim and pushing her around. He looks so angry, but whats new?

He pushes Kim to the ground and flips the coffee table over. She tries to get up but he screams at her, slams her into the wall and stands over her beaten body. She doesn't move and he walks over to the chair and sits down like its nothing. I clenched my fists at the audacity of his willingness to be so cruel. That jerk. That coward. That waste of life scum bag! Oh, how i wish some one would throw him across the room. Show him how it feels to be thrown around like trash, like a helpless, flimsyrag doll. If he could do that to Kim there's no telling what happened to Gracie.

I know i have to get to her. I can't waste anymore time. I walk around to the laundry room window and slide it up. I climb over as quietly as I can and peak around the corner and I can see him sitting down with a beer in his hand. A slight smirk crawls across his face as if he's proud of what he's done. I don't know whether i should make a run for the stairs and up to Gracie's room or sneak past him and take the chance of being caught vulnerable on all fours to be kicked like a dog while I'm down. As dangerous as it seems, I get down on my knees and crawl behind the couch opposite of John. I can hear Kim crying but I continue to crawl a little further until I hear John move. Soon, the noise stops. I poke my head around and look at Kim.

She sees me and I put my finger to my lips and hope she stays quite. Please stay quite.

I see her mouthing something, "Help her", maybe?

Help who, I want to say. Gracie must be hurt. God, please let her be okay. Please.

"Please." I mutter quietly to myself.

I look over to John and he seems to be preoccupied so i crawl behind the recliner. I can see the steps now. Maybe a couple of feet away. There's no way to sneak up them without being seen so I'm going to have to take my chances.

I take a deep breath and crawl to the bottom of the steps but before I can talk myself into standing half way up I hear Johns voice, "Where the hell did you come from? I swear to God ill kill you all!"

John jumps from his chair and runs towards me knocking stuff over on the way. Without thinking i try to scramble up the stairs but I can feel him grabbing at my ankles. I try to kick but its no good. He's too strong. He yanks me up and slams me into the wall. I'm fuming now. I can feel my whole body shake and my fists tighten.