Crossed - The Karma Crusades (A Wattpad Featured Story)

CROSSED - Chapter 15

Downstairs in the office lobby the uncomfortable and unusual silence continued. There was no sign of Mr. Jenkins. No sounds of him somewhere in a backroom laughing to himself. Bette and Susan sat on the equally uncomfortable plastic waiting chairs in anticipation of Maxwell's entrance.

Twenty-five minutes passed before they noticed a man dressed in a black suit and black wool Fedora hat approaching the office doors. The gait was unmistakable. The tinted windows kept him from seeing them as they sat frozen. Mr. Jenkins still hadn't come back.

"What should we do?" Bette whispered to Susan as he got nearer.

"Let's get behind the desk."

Susan got up and Bette followed her as they scooted across the lobby to the security desk and found their way under the desk top. The door creaked as it opened and the heavy sound of boots echoed on the white tile floors. In what seemed like three giant steps he was at the desk. There was silence.

Bette couldn't hear him breathing or moving. Her heart thumped against her hands as she pressed her body tight into the back of the desk. A moment later the sound of a loud and shrill 'ding' rang out from the bell that sat on the security desk, startling her. Bette's head bumped against the top of the desk as she jumped.

Susan glared at Bette as they both curled up tighter. Bette's eyes filled with fear as she silently hoped he hadn't heard the thud.

But there was no such luck. In moments the long strides were coming around the desk.

"Oh. Hey there. I see you made your way back. You here to try and see that girl again, right?" It was Mr. Jenkins coming from a back room.

"Where the heck had he been all this time?" Bette wondered. The footsteps stopped and turned back around.

"Is there anyone else in here with you? I thought I heard something." Maxwell said looking behind Mr. Jenkins as he sat down in his chair.

"No. Don't think so. These old buildings can creak and moan sometimes, like they have a life of their own, if you know what I mean." Mr. Jenkins sat down in his chair leaned back a bit.

There was no way he could miss seeing Bette's foot from under the desk. He peered over his glasses at Maxwell. "You can have a seat over there if you want to."

Bette's legs shook under the desk as she tried to control her nerves, but there was nothing she could do. Her plan hadn't been very well thought out and now the only thing between her and Maxwell was Mr. Jenkins, who looked like he'd had this same post since Bette's mother was sixteen. Shaking that rattled Bette's entire body eventually rattled the desk.

"What's under there!? Maxwell's big black boots clapped the floor full force as he stormed behind the desk.

He pushed Mr. Jenkins chair back, exposing Bette's quivering foot. He reached his large hand down grabbing her sneaker with his long bony fingers. He dragged her out by the white tennis shoes as he reached back and slammed Mr. Jenkins chair against the wall, making him fall out in pain.

He was strong and his anger seemed to only make him stronger. Susan tried to crawl out from the desk and make a dash back around but Maxwell's long strong arms grabbed hold of her leg, keeping her down on the floor.

Trapped behind the desk they had nowhere to go. Maxwell pulled Mr. Jenkins up, hurt and limping and pushed him into the closet slamming the door. He jammed one of the sitting chairs against it as Bette searched the scarcely supplied security desk for weapon.

The only thing on the desk was a monitor, a small stack of paper forms, a cup of pens, and the small bell which was out of reach. Bette quickly grabbed a pen and ran up behind Maxwell. It was their only chance.

He turned and took hold of her hand, twisting it until the pen fell clanging to the tile floors near their feet. She raised her foot to kick him but it had barely left the floor before she was in a choke hold and then thrown into the lobby chair.

"Don't try it again!" he shouted at Bette - his eyes wild and his pupils dilated. "And you, I have no business with you." He grabbed Susan by the neck and opened the closet door tossing her in beside Mr. Jenkins. He was hunched on the floor leaning against the wall holding his head, blood dripping down his brow.

"He's hurt," Susan pleaded. "He needs help."

"You can get him help as soon as I'm done here."

Maxwell slammed the door again to Susan's yells of "NO!" and jammed the chair against it again. Bette could hear her banging and Susan's cries from behind the closed door.

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