Page 92 of Inside Silence
Beyond this room is a hallway with several doors, but I find those are all locked. I don’t want to rattle any of them too hard. What if someone is nearby? They might hear me. To get to the window high on the wall—the only one I’ve seen— I’m going to have to climb up on something, and hope I’ll be able to open it.
The dresser catches my eye. If the drawers are sturdy enough, I could use those as a ladder to get up. I just hope I’m able to move it closer.
I try to push it with all my might, and then I try pulling it, putting my whole weight into it, but it still won’t budge. Finally, after taking out all the drawers, so it’s a little bit lighter, I’m able to push the dresser under the window.
The legs scrape along the floor, making a lot of noise, but I can’t stop. When I looked over at Carson moments ago, his face looked even paler, but his eyes were encouraging me to push on.
With the help of the drawers, I’m able to get myself onto the dresser. My chin comes up to the windowsill, so I can easily reach the latch, which is a little rusty. I can look out, but the glass is so dirty I can barely see anything. The window has to flip out and up, but seems stuck. I have to hit it as hard as I can with the heel of my hand.
By now I’ve made so much noise, I’m convinced if anyone else was here, they’d have come running.
Finally, the window flies open with a squeak, and I immediately recognize the church parking lot. How did we get back here? At least I know where to run for help as soon as I get out of here.
I grab the sill with my hands and try to jump so I can pull myself up, but that proves to be more difficult than I thought. My hands keep slipping, and my legs are still too weak to give me a good boost.
Frustrated, I’m about ready to cry, when I suddenly hear the crunch of wheels in the parking lot. I immediately pull my hands back and move to the side to stay out of sight. Carefully peeking over the ledge, I almost cry out in relief when my father’s truck rolls into sight.
I start yelling.
Chapter 28
Savvy
* * *
“Do not try to go in there until we know what’s going on.”
I’m flying down the streets toward New Horizons, with at least one more vehicle following behind. I just hope Phil was able to hold back my dad, since he came running out of the bathroom after Nate, who was sprinting for the door.
I was able to stop my father before he could get out, and bolted after Nate myself.
He’s now sitting beside me, coiled tighter than a spring, and I just know he’s not even going to let me come to a full stop before he’s out of the vehicle, hurling himself into an unknown and potentially dangerous situation.
“I mean it, Nate,” I emphasize in my most authoritative voice while trying to keep from hitting a cat crossing the road. “I won’t hesitate to slap cuffs on you if I have to.”
I’ve been going at full speed through town, but slow down to turn into the church lot. A State Patrol vehicle pulls in behind me and I recognize Auden behind the wheel, good. I feel a little better going in with backup.
We find Nate’s truck parked around the back of the church when we arrive, but there’s no sign of Roy. I’d tried getting a hold of him en route after Nate told me about the call, but he didn’t answer. I don’t even want to think about the possibility something might have happened to him as well.
“Please, sit tight,” I plead with Nate, who already has a hand on the door handle. “We don’t know if the kids are in there, or under what circumstances, but you barging in could put them at more risk. We don’t know until we get a lay of the land. Please…”
I put a hand on his knee. It’s on my lips to tell him I love him and can’t handle the thought of him getting hurt, or worse, but this isn’t the time and I’m not sure it would make much of a difference at the moment anyway.
His eyes stay fixed on the church, a muscle ticking in his jaw, but he finally relents with a quick nod.
“Hurry,” he grinds out through clenched teeth.
Auden is already out of his vehicle, eyeing Nate’s truck.
“What’s going on? I was just on my way home when I heard the call come in about a disturbance at the church. You blew by me with lights flashing a few seconds later, so I followed you.”
“Yelling was heard coming from the basement. The kids may be inside.”
I notice there is no yelling now. No sound at all, aside from the sudden squeal of brakes announcing the arrival of another cruiser, this one driven by Hugo Alexander, my stubborn father riding shotgun. The driver’s side door flies open.
“No,” I bark at Hugo, who doesn’t even acknowledge us as he starts moving toward the church.
I run to intercept him with Auden at my back. Together we manage to block his way.
