Page 42 of They Will Fall

I swallow hard and before my mind can catch up, my body takes control. My foot lifts and the next thing I know, it’s colliding with the soft flesh of his face. He groans and reels backward, and I react instinctively by clawing at the door in an attempt to find the handle. The second my hand wraps around it, I yank the handle downward. In an instant, I’m tumbling out onto the gravel road in the dim light of the full moon.

The driver’s door comes open and I watch in slow motion as one boot thunderously hits the gravel.

I roll a couple times before reality slaps me in the face. If I don’t get up and run as fast as I can, this man might kill me.

Grit and dust fill my mouth as I desperately search for enough leverage to lift me from the ground. With my hands still bound, I push against the sharp gravel road, giving me enough strength to get to my feet. My eyes flick to the left and I see his face, distorted with rage. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and without a second thought, I sprint down the road barefoot.

I don’t dare look back because If I see him chasing me, I’ll panic. In which case, I’ll likely fall and it will be the equivalent of falling into my own grave.

After about a minute has passed and I’m still on my feet, I do it. I look over my shoulder.

Only, he’s not there. The brake lights of the car come on in the distance and I slow my steps. Staring straight at the car, I gasp when I see it whip around, heading straight for me.

I cry out as I take off running again. Rocks and gravel dig into my feet, but the pain is no match for the ache in my wrists. I force my focus on where it needs to be, which is surviving.

I have to get off this long stretch of road.

With one giant leap, I clear a small ditch and sprint straight for the woods.

The bouncing of the phone inside my bra reminds me that it’s there, and suddenly, I feel a fleeting moment of hope. The realization that I might not have service is heavy on my mind, but I won’t let it bring me down.

That is, until I glance back and see the headlights of the car stopped on the side of the road.My heart is pounding and my breath is ragged, but I don’t slow down.

I stumble blindly into the dense woods, pushing past branches and moving around trees, so I can find a safe spot to stop and call for help.

The crunching of twigs in the distance is deafening. It’s a sign my captor hasn’t given up the chase. I move faster, going in all directions to try and lose him. Left, then right, then straight and turning left again.

I have to get this rope off my hands or I’ll never survive this.

Spotting a branch with a jagged edge, wedged between two logs, I creep over to it and turn around so my back is to it. I wince at the sudden tugs on my wrists as I move them back and forth, forcing the rope against the stick's spine. Finally, it snaps off, and my hands are free.

I exhale a sigh of relief as I tuck myself behind a tree and curl over with my palms pressed to my knees.

I hear footsteps crunching in the distance. Only, they are no longer coming closer. They’re moving farther away.

Next, I hear the sound of a car door closing. At least, I think that’s what it was. It’s so far away I can’t tell.

My heavy breaths are the only sound as I listen carefully for any clues that this crazed man is still out here.

A few long minutes pass, and I’m almost positive he left, I reach into my bra and pull out the phone.

I'm shocked to see that I actually have a signal out here. With a shaky hand, I tap the button to call Scar. My eyes dance back and forth, all around me as I tremble, waiting for this monstrous man to emerge out of nowhere.

The first ring has my heart fighting to flee from my chest.

The second has it sinking into my stomach.

“Oh my god! Riley!” Her voice is like music to my ears. “Where the hell are you?”

“I need help,” I say with a breathless whisper as my eyes peer around the tree. “Someone kidnapped me. He’s coming, Scar. Please send help!”

“Who?!” she says in a panic that mirrors my own. “Where are you?”

“In the woods. I don’t know where. I was unconscious and woke up in the back of his car. I don’t know who he is or where he was taking me. Can you track this phone?”

“It’s a burner phone, babe. It can’t be traced.Can you get out of the woods and go to a road so you can find a street name?”

“I…I don’t think I can. I’m scared, Scar.” Tears stream down my face at the realization that my life is on the line here. “I don’t even have shoes on.”

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