Half the World Away

39

I stared at my laptop, my mouth wide open. "Charlotte are you there?" Joe asked, I'm scared.

"Joe, I'm by myself," I whispered, closing the wooden door, what if someone's in there with me? "I'm scared."

"Brad's with Reece, Blake and George isn't he?" He actually sounded concerned. I know he doesn't want anything to happen to me again because of how Brad was feeling and I didn't want him to be a mess, again.

"Yeah, he is..." I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. Why couldn't fate just leave me alone and let me be happy, everything seems to be going wrong. But it only made me want Brad even more.

"Wait call James and I'll call Brad, we will sort something out okay!" He said, ending the call and the silence haunted me.

Every little sound my heart beat increased, it could be someone who was going to hurt me, I found James name on my phone and rang.

He picked up on the first ring "Lottie!"

"I'm okay." I breathed heavily, pacing up and down the bedroom, looking for weapons and hiding places, the only thing I could use was, well, erm, a lamp and try to fit in a very small wardrobe.

"Is anyone in the house with you?" James asked, "Tris has phoned the police."

"I don't know James, where's Brad?"

"Up at the shopping centre, he said him and the boys are coming back and the police are on the way."

"Okay..." then I heard a smash. It wasn't that loud, so I don't think it was a window, so it was probably a small object and my heart raced. "James I'm not alone." I whispered.

"You're not?" He yelled, "how do you know that?"

"Something smashed."

"It could've been..."

"Jesse is at Anne-Marie's."

"It could've been..."

"Brad and the boys aren't here yet."

"It could've been..."

"Look James the door didn't open, I didn't hear it someone is in here!" I rambled, my heart rate getting faster and faster.

"Is there a way you can get out?" He asked, finally giving in and this caused my last fragment of hope to break away entirely.

"No, if I jump out the window I'll break my ass!" I tried to joke, it was an attempt to defuse the tension but, it failed because James didn't even laugh.

"Joe, tell them to hurry, she's not alone." I heard him say to the others, "we're on the way to Brads okay?" He then reassured me, I remembered he could probably hear my shaky breathing and could tell that I was scared.

"Okay." I mumbled.

"Stay on the phone yeah?"

"I will do."

I sat on my bed listening to every noise, every footstep, whilst telling James what was happening. My ears picked up every little sound, and with every little sound I mean every time I heard a crack, or a creak, I jumped.

But then it triggered something in the back of my head, something that I was trying to keep out and loose.

The door to the metal building opened, then slammed shut, the frame shaking. I stood up and came face to face with "the boss", he was a man probably over 50 - but I have learnt to fear him - he could hurt me.

"You up?" He asked, obviously I'm standing up so I'm up.

"Yes," I replied looking away from him.