Page 86 of My Heart to Find

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Cara

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SHE’S TOUCHING ME.She’s touching me. She’s touching me.

My head is spinning, and I feel sick and I can’t focus on anything, not even on Jana’s boss as he’s shouting at us. All I can process is that Phia’s clinging to me. Her fingers are like vices.

Mr. Richards storms forward. He’s going for Damien and Trevor, where they’re crouching next to something. No, someone. Marnie. It’s Marnie!

“I’ve got a gun!” Mr. Richards shouts. “And this is my house and you’re trespassing! Damn it, Buster, where are you?”

A gun.

My throat feels too tight. I can’t breathe, I can’t—

“Buster, get here now! Attack! Attack!”

I look up and see a dog. A Dalmatian. I nearly scream.

Trevor shouts and shouts and shouts, and then there’s a lot of shouting. So much shouting. Just shouting and shouting and shouting. Jana and Trevor and Damien. And Mr. Richards.

And me. And the Dalmatian that isn’t attacking. He’s just standing behind Mr. Richards.

And the gun... Mr. Richards has a gun. Pain dives down my spine.

“Buster, Buster!” Mr. Richards is yelling. “Get them!”

I’m shouting. I realize it with a jolt, but I’m not shouting words. I’m just screaming. My head’s pounding, and Phia’s fingers are burning me. She’s still holding onto me, but my OCD’s quiet now. It’s too scared. I’m too scared. I can’t process anything.

Got to get out.

I try to move, try to drag my heavy legs, but Phia’s anchoring me to the basement, and I can’t get out. And Mr. Richards suddenly looms too close and—

I scream, and he’s coming toward me. So close. I duck under his arm, pulling Phia with me, and the gun—he’s waving it round widely. A jarring sensation fills one side of my face, and none of this feels real. My brain can’t cope.

Someone punches Mr. Richards, and he staggers back, and I turn, see Trevor breathing hard, holding his fist. My heart pounds, and—

Sirens—I can hear sirens. I concentrate on them because I can’t concentrate on this. This is too much. But the police are coming. Sirens mean they’re coming. Sirens mean safety, right?

And it’s not safe here. Trevor and Mr. Richards are fighting, kicking and punching and—

“Lock him in here!” Trevor shouts.

I have to get away. My heart pounds, and all I can think of is how I’m going to get away. Survival mode, that’s what it has to be. Is that why nothing feels real? Why the moments are all merging together? It’s just glimpses and flashes of moments, but I can’t work out how much time has passed.

I turn. I’m free—Phia’s not holding onto me now.

The keys. Jana’s car keys. They’re on the floor. My heart pounds. If I get them, I can get go to the car, I can lock myself in. Me and Phia. Where we’ll be safe.

Safe. But what about Damien? And Jana? And Trevor?

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