Page 80 of Evidence of Truth

“Yes, sweetheart, I know. It doesn’t matter though. We need to get out of the cabin before Bobby returns.”

Silas’s hot breath was on her back. He tried several times before she felt the rope loosen. Relief. Anne brought her hands to her front and shook them. Ah, pain never felt so good.

All she had to do was untie her ankles, and they were off. Anne bent over. The knot was tight. Hurry!

She was working the rope when she heard footsteps outside the door and Bobby swearing. No time to untie.

Silas was standing in front of her trying to help, but to no avail.

“Sweetheart,” she said, looking into his frightened eyes. “Bobby is back. I need you to be very brave and run out the back door as soon as I say so.”

His brow furrowed. “I don’t want to leave you.” Tears dripped down his cheeks.

She held his head in her hands and kissed his cheek. “I know. But you’re our only chance of getting help. You have to be very brave. Can you be brave?”

He nodded.

“I know you can. When you get out the door, stay in the woods but near the road. Follow the road. It’ll lead to a main road and you can try to get help.”

Silas looked down at the ground and up at Anne. “I’ll be brave.” He bit his lip. “I love you, Anne. Please don’t die.”

Oh God. This was harder than she thought. Was she wrong about sending a little boy out for help? Who knew? The one thing she knew was that Silas would live. Killian and all her friends would take care of him. But, oh Lord, she didn’t want to die.

She gave him a small smile. “I’ll do my best. I love you more than life.”

They listened carefully. When they heard the front door opening, Anne whispered, “Run.”

Silas slipped out the back door.

Bobby walked into the kitchen, saw the rope on the floor, and realized that Silas was missing.

He looked at her, didn’t say a word, and didn’t look mad. Anne’s heart was pounding.

“Doesn’t matter if the kid is gone. There are lots of wild animals in the woods looking for an easy meal.” He chortled.

Anne saw his fist as it came at her cheek. Then she was falling. Her head hit the floor. The room went dark, and her only thought was she saved Silas.

* * *

Silas’s heart was pounding so loud, he thought for sure Bobby would hear it. He didn’t want to leave Anne. Maybe together they could have attacked Bobby and run together. But it was too late now.

His stomach hurt. They hadn’t been given any food or water in forever. But it didn’t matter. He had to get help for Anne. Bobby was going to kill her.

Silas ran into the woods. The sun had disappeared behind the clouds, and the woods were scary. He heard funny noises. Maybe there were animals that wanted to eat him.

He stayed close to the road, pushing bushes out of the way, getting caught on a thorny bush that ripped his shirt and skin. Every once in a while, he popped his head up to see if anyone was following him. So far, no.

Would Killian know where to look for them? Would he get there in time? How would he even know if Anne was dead or alive? Who would take him in? He loved Anne and Killian. Would Killian want him?

Silas pushed on. The sun came out, and now he was hot, but the woods didn’t look so scary. He was running when he could, but darn, he tripped over a tree root. Silas started crying. His body shook with fear. Fear that he would be lost in the woods, fear that no one would ever find him, fear that he couldn’t save Anne.

Picking himself up from the ground, Silas bit his lip. A tear fell down his cheek. What would Ryder, Chase, and the other pups of PAW Patrol do? They would be brave. Silas took a deep breath. He would be brave—he would save Anne.

Silas kept running through the bushes along the dirt road. He heard a car.

Was it another bad man? It could be Killian. He had to look.

He promised Anne he would be brave.

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