Broken

Chapter 4

I lost track of the days and weeks that went by in that house. Maybe months had passed. I don't know. At that point, both me and Cassie believed that there was no hope for our survival, and that the insane would win.

It was the slightest creak. I sat straight up in bed and narrowed my tired eyes. I tuned out the yelling and listened. There is was again! Fear hit my heart like a truck. Did the insane finally break in? I looked down at Cassie's sleeping form, and immediately snapped up my head. There it was again. The creak, but louder. It was coming from the window in the study. I grabbed my bat and gently patted my knife strapped on my leg. I didn't check for my hidden knife, just in case someone was watching. I gripped a flashlight in my left hand and the bat in my right.

It was about dawn, but the sun wasn't up far enough to see clearly. I began my descent into the dark hallway, terrified. I flicked off my flashlight when I came upon the study. I set it down softly and held my bat with both hands. I was poised outside of the door, waiting. The creak! It was right next to the door, along with some whispers I didn't understand. The door opened slowly, and I twisted my bat in my hands. A body stepped out, and turned towards me. They jumped back in surprise as I brought down my bat. A hand shot out and grabbed my bat. They yanked it, making me stumble forward. The man I attacked grabbed my left arm and cocked a gun in my face. I froze.

"Drop the bat. Now."

I dropped the bat, terrified of the gun pointing at my forehead. He looked at the man who had grabbed my bat.

"Charles, pat her down."

"*, man! It's a little girl!"

"I'm sixteen!" I exclaimed, only to be silenced with the pressure of the muzzle of the gun.

"Charles, check her. Now."

The man named Charles glanced down at my leg and saw my big knife. He swore again.

"*! This girl is armed, Hank."

I prayed that he wouldn't find my hidden knife, strapped to my side. He didn't. He avoided my upper body all together. He took my big knife and tossed it beside my bat. Hank turned back his attention to me.

"Who else is here, kid?"

I kept my mouth shut. Charles tried a different route.

"We didn't know you lived here, honest. We just have a sorta big group and need to feed them, ya know? I got my family. Hank's got his wife and kids. Plus we got some homeless guys!"

I looked at him. "Then you would understand why I won't reveal what I have or who is here. And consider both of y'all very lucky to have to feed all those people."

Hank glared at me. "We aren't lucky, little girl. It's hard."

I felt anger bubble inside of me. They didn't know what tough was.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had such a soft heart! Maybe next time, you shouldn't rob a girl who has been stripped of her mother, father, and brother!"

Charles eyes immediately softened. "*, Hank, we can't do this."

Hank kept his cold, hard stare on me. "Yes, we can. My kids need food."

"Hank, there's still a bunch of houses on this block!"

I spoke up. "How did you get in here without drawing attention?"

Hank and Charles ignored me and continued to argue.

"Charles, We need the food, don't think about this kid."