He Follows ✔

Chapter 19

Michelle stood rigid with fear.

"No, I can't go back."

"I know. Shhh I know."

She heard Hank screaming and pounding on the door. It wouldn't be long before they got in. Benito went over to his bag of clothes and pulled out two guns. He handed one to Michelle and signaled for her to find a place to hide.

Benito chose to go behind the door and Michelle crawled under the bed. After her father had gotten back from the military, he taught her how to shoot.

The door was giving way from the force of all of the men pounding on it. Then there was silence. Michelle could hear the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears. A key was turned in the lock and the door opened.

She could see five pairs of feet from under the bed. Her heart hammered faster and she hoped that they couldn't hear it.

She heard a gunshot go off and then more gunshots. She tried to make out which feet belonged to Hank. She was so paralyzed with fear that she forgot that she was holding a gun.

The gunfire stopped. Two men had dropped to the ground. One man was most definitely dead and the other was injured.

She couldn't make out the faces.

"Where is she?"

Hank grabbed the injured man.

It must have been Benito.

She heard no response.

Oh no.

All of a sudden she felt a sneeze coming on.

No

No

No

"Ah chew!"

The room went silent.

Hank peeked his head under the bed and then she felt men grab her legs and pull her out.

She pointed the gun at Hank as soon as they pulled her out.

The men let go of her.

Everyone waited for Michelle to shoot.

"Pull the trigger Michelle."

Hank smirked at her.

Michelle released the safety and pulled the trigger.

She waited for the kick back or the piercing sound but nothing happened.

The gun didn't fire.

Hank laughed with relief.

"For a second I thought I was actually going to die."

Michelle angrily kept pulling the trigger, hoping that maybe it would work. The gun was knocked out of her hand.

"Baby girl, it is time to come home now."

The men had her arms held behind her. Benito lay on the ground clutching his leg. There was no way out. She was trapped.

That's when her mother walked in.

Hank smiled.

"Good work Kelly. I couldn't have found them without you."

Michelle looked at her mother with tears in her eyes.

"You gave us away?"

Her mother looked without shame or regret.

"You are free to go now Kelly. I won't bother you ever again."

"Thank you Hank."

Michelle screamed at her mother.

"You sold me out for your own freedom! I offered you a way out for both of us and you chose this!"

A single tear ran down her mother's face before she walked out of Michelle's life forever.