Counting Sheep

Chapter 11

Hello, hello!! I am back! I hope you guys are doing absolutely wonderful! I have a new chapter for you guys and I am so excited to see if you guys enjoy it. I enjoyed writing it! Another thing is that I am going to be making an account on Instagram with my Wattpad and for all of my stories! So, once I have that all set up, I'll be posting it so just look for that when it comes out! This chapter is longer than usual so either you love that or hate it, but here you guys go! I'll be updating soon! Keep an eye out for that. Happy reading! I love you! XOXO -Hannah <3

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 CHAPTER 11: Layla kept her eyes on the girl, throat tight and skin prickling. She looked to be about 6 or 7 years old with a mass of strawberry blonde curls framing a small heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a bright and startlingly light blue-green, filled with terror and caution. She was only wearing a nightgown that had all of the Disney Princesses painted onto the fabric.

The happy smiling faces of the princesses was like a mocking image with all of the blood that decorated the fabric as well. It looked dried, too, Layla noticed.

How long had this little girl been up here covered in blood, all alone? The very thought made Layla's heart ache so severely that it made her breath catch painfully in her chest.

"What happened?" Layla asked Frank out of the corner of her mouth.

He hesitated and she saw the large muscles of his forearms flex as he fisted his tattooed hands. Forcing himself to relax, he breathed out heavily.

"Her mother was murdered. She was there when it happened." He finally said and everything inside of Layla went bitterly cold.

Her urge to run was rising, creeping up into her throat as flashbacks of murders that she had witnessed flashed in her mind. She gave her head a hard and fast shake, hoping to dislodge the thought before it could take growth and build to a blossoming memory that would take her completely.

Finally, Layla turned towards Frank, her gaze meeting his.

She saw anger there.

She saw fear.

She saw panic.

She saw nightmares. She knew in that instant that it went far beyond just this little girl's mother being murdered. She knew that it went so far beyond what her and this little girl knew, making a tickle of fear rise inside of her but she ruthlessly squashed it. No matter what, this girl needed her help—their help. Layla wouldn't just leave Frank and the little girl here. For Frank because he had specifically called her and asked for her help.

For the girl, because Layla knew what it felt like being that scared little girl-fearful of anything and everything because of one mind-blindingly terrifying event. There was only one thing that she would not do this time around and that was being left in the dark.

Layla had been left in the pitch black darkness, so thick and undiscernible that she might as well have been completely blind. She wouldn't allow that to happen again and so she turned her head slightly so that she could meet Frank's gaze—letting her eyes tell him that she would be getting more answers lately whether he liked it or not.

It was non-negotiable, but for right here and now, Layla needed to focus on helping this scared little girl.

"Why did you call me?" Layla asked in a quiet whisper as her eyes fixed back onto the little girl. Her voice wasn't accusing or hostile, simply curious as to what Frank needed her to do or what he thought she could do.

Sighing, Frank ran a hand through his hair, the thick strands hanging down loosely in his face. "Well, for one you are a woman and I thought it would be best and easier for her to get used to a woman rather than a big, scary man."