Page 133 of Johnathan

As Laura crouched down to place the ties back around her tattered wrists, Abby looked up at John. His gaze never wavered.He nodded once and she didn’t hesitate. Throwing her entire body on top of Laura, she brought her fist down in a fury, cracking it directly into her nose. Blood poured everywhere as Laura screamed out in pain. Abby jumped up, ignoring the pain etched in her bones as she swiped the knife Laura had set on the dresser, and ran towards John.

A second later, her face slammed off the floor, the knife slipping from her fingers. She barely had enough time to turn to avoid breaking her own nose. Laura’s hand was firmly over her ankle, her nails digging into Abby’s skin. She kicked her free foot backwards without purchase.

Laura climbed up her body, her hands pushing punishingly into Abby’s body. She bucked and kicked as wildly as she could, but none of the moves John had practiced with her worked.

“You worthless, homewrecking, ugly ass bitch. You’re going to pay for breaking my no—” Abby rolled, so fucking sick of hearing that psychopath talk. Her leg hit the side table, a candle tipping it onto the floor next to the bed. Her heart stopped as flames licked up the sides of the table. The heat from the splashed wax scorched her face, and she screamed.

“John! We need to get out of here!!” She got to her feet and frantically began pulling at the rope that still had him tethered to the bed.

“I don’t fucking think so.” Laura flicked out the switchblade. “An accidental fire taking you out is just about the perfect cover for me.”

“You are sick, Laura. You need help. John is all Katy has! How can you want to take him from her?”

“You’re right. Too bad he can’t leave. He knows what I did. So he has to go too. I have to think about Honey. She can’t be without her mom.”

“AND KATY CAN’T BE WITHOUT HER DAD!” Abby screamed.

“She won’t be, bitch. She’ll go with the two of you. Your little family will stay together, which is a HELL of a lot more than you fucking deserve!”

“Where is she?! Give me the knife to cut him free. I will make him swear on Katy’s life to NEVER say anything about what happened here. The two of you can walk out of here after he gets Katy. It’s only me that needs to be hurt.”

Laura lunged at Abby, and in a split second she knew what to do. Her foot kicked out, catching Laura in the stomach. The knife sliced down towards her, but she managed to throw her body backwards out of the way of the blade. With Laura on the ground gasping for air, Abby picked up the knife and sliced through the bindings holding John in place.

“We have to go. We have to go now.” The heat from the fire was overwhelming. Flames licked up the curtains and crawled along the ceiling. Smoke burned her eyes and throat. She dropped the knife to cover her face. “You need to hold on to me. We need to get to Katy.”

“My damn leg is still numb.”

“Come on, just lean on me.”

Abby slipped her arm around John’s back. They shuffled towards the door, John seeming to get stronger with each step.

“No!!” Abby screamed as pain bloomed in her calf. She dropped to the floor, taking John with her. Laura pulled the knife from Abby’s leg, lunging again with the blade.

Abby twisted, using her uninjured leg to catch Laura in the chest. Movement from John stole her attention for a second before Laura lunged again, her foot stomping down on Abby’s injured leg as she stood above her.

Blinding pain shot through her body, her vision tunneling as a desperate scream clawed its way out of her throat. She wanted to move. She wanted to fight back. But the pain from Laura twisting her foot down into the stab wound was too much forher body to overcome. She raised her hand up, the knife lined up perfectly to end Abby’s life.

“You fucking bitch. You take everything from me. EVERYTHING! And then you think there will be no consequences? You’re going to rot right in He?—”

An unimaginably loud bang shattered the battle of their grunts and groans as a large red splotch bloomed across Laura’s chest. It was then that Abby realized John had been in the closet. His gun was still trained on Laura. Holy shit. Flames licked up the walls and the heat was unbearable.

Laura crumpled to the ground, right as Abby’s vision went black.

“Abby! Are you okay?” Shit. His body wouldn’t be able to keep up with this much longer. He’d gotten her down the hallway. A few more steps and they’d be at Katy’s room. He could do this. He could get his girls out.

Her legs gave out and she slipped from his numb hands.

“Shit! Baby. Here. Get up.” His body shook uncontrollably and he fell to the ground next to her. “Fuck!”

“Go…” Abby pushed her bloody hand to his chest and shoved him. He saw the toll it took on her. She was fading again in front of his eyes.

“No! I can carry you and Katy. I’m not leaving you?—”

“YOU DON’T HAVE A CHOICE! We’re all about to burn to death. I won’t let you and Katy die because of me! I love the both of you too much for that. You have to go.”

“I can’t leave you!”

“YOU HAVE TO!” She coughed and her eyes filled with tears. “You’ve saved me enough, John. Get our daughter out of here! Go!”

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