Protection

Chapter Two

A loud thump woke Kyra up. She laid still, her heart in her throat, wondering if it was just her imagination. She heard it again. Now she knew it wasn’t just in her head. Her first thought was they were here getting the car, but she hadn’t even called them yet.

Thump.

Thump.

Crash.

The last one was shattering glass. She tried to remember if she had locked the door last night after Ben left. What good would it have done? The windows were busted from the bullets.

Ben. She would call him.

She slowly reached over to the nightstand, grabbing her cell and the card. She quickly punched in the number and pushed call.

It rang.

Crash.

She pulled her comforter over her head, blocking out the morning light, but not the noise. She was scared. There was really someone in her house.

“Chamberlain.”

Thank God, he answered! “Ben,” She was barely able to whisper.

“Kyra? Why are you whispering?”

“There’s someone in the house.”

“Ok, stay calm.” She heard his office door slam behind him. “Tom, get a hold of the guys that were supposed to be watching the Baldwin house. Kyra, where are you?”

“In my bedroom.”

“Do you have a window?”

She could tell he was running, “Right above my bed.”

“Do me a favor. Look out the window and tell me if you see anything.” His car fired up.

She peeked out from her covers at her still closed bedroom door.

Thump. Whoever was her home was in the living room now.

Slowly, she leaned up and looked out the window. The sight she saw made her start crying. Now she was truly scared. She slid back down on the bed, whispering, "Oh, God."

“Kyra?”

“It’s the same car….”

“The red one?”

“Yah.”

“I’m almost there. Just stay put.”

“I’m not moving.”

“Can you still hear them?”

She listened to the creaking of the stairs, “They’re coming upstairs.”

“Get under your bed, now.”

Carefully she slid off the bed on the side farthest from her door, crawling under the bed. Her blankets fell far enough on each side that whoever came in would have to lean down to the floor to see her. The stairs creaked. They were at the top now.

“Don’t talk. I’m coming around the corner.” She heard the tires screech over the phone and the horn blazed both on the phone, and from outside. She heard the heavy feet run back down the staircase.

“They’re leaving,” she whispered, so low she barely heard herself.

She heard tires peel out and others came to a screeching halt, sirens suddenly filling the air.

“Kyra!” His voice sounded distant on the phone, but she could hear him clearly from outside the house. “Kyra!”

She crawled out from under her bed, swinging the bedroom door open.