Double Jinx (Wattys2017)

Preface

"Okay." She answered, still holding him tightly.

He led her to the window, squatted down for her to climb onto his shoulder, then fought to stand back up. Despite his exhaustion and his pain, he managed to stand tall. The plan was successful, Genevieve could reach the window. Just barely. Her uninjured hand worked to undo the latch, the rust and years of weather making it hard for her small hands to unlock her only escape.

"Hurry. He's coming." The boy warned, trying to push her higher.

Tears fell freely from Genevieve's eyes as she tried over and over again to unlock the window, heavy footsteps sounding from above, but the lock just wouldn't budge, "I can't get it."

"Yes you can." The boy insisted, his thumb rubbing her ankle in comfort to show his belief in her, "Just take a breath. You can do this, Bunny."

She did as she was told, took in a deep breath, and tried again. This time her fingers listened better to her wishes. They curled under the latch, gripping it so tightly that it nearly cut into her skin, and she pulled. Harder and harder still until finally the latch gave away and swung open. Genevieve nearly jumped for joy as she pushed the window open and hauled herself out into the crisp air of a Nevada night.

She stuck her head back through the window, her eyes falling on the boy who saved her life, still trapped inside. He looked so tiny down there, face covered in dust and blood but none of it diminished the excitement within his eyes. The girl reached her uninjured hand down to him, "Come with me."

He gave her a soft smile, the kind she liked to look at because she knew in that smile was true happiness, "I can't. I can't reach and my dad is coming. Just go, I'll be fine."

For being only eight, her heart had never hurt like this before. How could she leave her only friend behind, her savior, knowing what that monster would do to him?

"I'll come back. I'll get my mommy and daddy and we'll come back with the whole army." She informed him, holding her pinky down as far as possible. The boy's grin broadened and he reached up on his tiptoes to brush the tip of his pinky against hers. One of their many unspoken promises to each other. The boy didn't dare hope for her return, not to a place like this, but he did hope for salvation.

Then the door to the basement crashed open, "What the fuck is going on down here?"

They hadn't made a noise, he couldn't possibly know. The boy looked up at Genevieve with eyes so fearful that they basically swam in horror, "Go. Be silent.Go."

Genevieve didn't want to leave the boy with that monster, she didn't want to leave him at all. But she had to, that thought was the only thing running through her mind as she closed the window and took off towards town. Her head hurt, her hand hurt more, and her lungs were burning within her chest. Her legs were tired and her eyes were tired, but she kept running.

She had to get back. She had to save the boy who saved her.

A savage roar tore through the night as the boy's father discovered what had happened. Genevieve shivered, not from the cold or because of her pain. No, she shivered because she knew what would become of the boy.

A miracle allowed Genevieve to reach the town's main road without being hunted down by the monster who broke her hand. Lights were on in almost every building, people were wandering around, all of them wondering what had happened to the little girl who was here for the summer visiting her grandmother as she had every year since she was born.

Genevieve dashed through the crowd, tired and hungry and hurt. But finally, she saw her mommy and daddy, talking with a police officer, clutching the girl's stuffed bunny in their hands. Finally. She was beginning to think she'd never see them again.