Page 89 of Shelter for Morgan

MORGAN

She reached the parking lot with her heart pounding in her chest and her feet aching from impacts on the asphalt. There really wasn’t a place to hide that wasn’t in her own car, but there was one problem with that. Morgan was fairly sure that the bullets in Officer Munder’s gun could tear through her baby’s CAMO painted shell.

It might look good enough for the military, but it wasn’t going to be much of a shield for her.

She heard yelling behind her and footsteps but they seemed far behind her and around a corner. It was that corner that she thought might make the difference.

Sliding in behind her car, Morgan felt the branches of the oak tree slap against her shoulder and back and her ankles scrape against the asphalt surface.

Morgan drew in a breath through her nose, holding back the whimper of pain that rose up in her throat. As she patted herself down for her keys she remembered that Jacob had always insisted on a magnetic box under the body frame of the car.

Where she was, on her right hip, she was in the exact right place to reach under the car.

Her cheek placed up against the CAMO paint that she’d put there herself, she felt the cool, matte texture of the paint against her cheek.

“Where did she go?”

How did Officer Munder get there so fast?

“I… I can’t… br-breathe.”

“You’re in shit shape. It would help if you exercised a bit.”

Morgan held her breath, waiting for him to come around the car.

She held her breath and heard the squeak of Officer Munder’s overly polished shoes nearby.

Morgan kept her breath shallow and prayed that the shadows were hiding her from their view.

Her searching fingers found the magnetic container and with a wince she slid it free from the metal car frame.

There was a quick scrape of metal on metal and she heard Officer Munder’s voice again.

“Shh…”

“Wha-”

“I said shut the fuck up, Wayne.” The officer’s tone was stringent and cold. “I thought I heard something.”

Morgan slid open the container using the hem of her top to muffle the sound. When it was open she heard the officer’s shoes moving away.

“I don’t see where we lost her. She was heading for the parking lot.”

“Well, there aren’t any cars,” the chemistry teacher was still winded, “we parked on the side street. She’s probably still running. I know I would be if I could breathe.”

“Like I said, Wayne, shut the fuck up.” There was a moment of quiet and then- “Let’s get your car. I know where she lives.”

It felt like her whole body froze for a moment.

He knew where she lived. Of course he did.

He had access to her records at the school. And even if he didn’t get it from there, he was a police officer and he could get it that way.

She closed her eyes and had her key in hand as she listened for those tell-tale squeaks of Officer Munder’s shoes as he walked away toward the sidewalk instead of the science building.

Morgan knew that she had to move. She had to go now.

Any longer and he might be able to stop her from leaving the parking lot, or something worse.

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