Alex Harris 00 - Armed

passed the woodpile and continued down the path to the front yard. I poked my head out. Was there a back way out? Very little light from the street penetrated here and I couldn’t see a single thing. The cold seeped through my wet clothes and my arm ached so bad I didn’t think I’d be able to keep from screaming too much longer.
    I heard Monica’s voice calling out for me but nothing else. The neighbor’s party was still going on, but they would never hear me from there. My whole body throbbed. Something trickled down my cheek. Sweat or blood? I couldn’t tell in the dark. Monica’s legs appeared through a crack between the bushes and the woodpile. This might be my chance. If I could get my hand through the bushes I might be able to grab her leg. And then what?
    Far off in the distance I thought I heard a familiar, welcome sound but couldn’t be sure. And if I was wrong, I was done for. It was now or never. My right arm throbbed. I mustered up all the strength I could and forced it to pick up a piece of wood. Monica had wandered down the driveway and this was my chance to inch forward positioning myself to grab her leg the next time she walked by.
    I heard the crunch of her footsteps. Right in front of me I made out the back of her legs. I was in position, up on my knees ready to pounce. I just needed her to take a few steps away to give me more room to propel myself at her.
    And then the worst possible thing happened. She turned around and was facing the bush, was facing me .
    I said a silent prayer as tears sprang to my eyes. And then I jumped, propelling myself as hard as I could at her.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

    Two days after Christmas thick clouds threatened another storm. Icicles hung from eaves and snowmen stood sentry up and down the street.
    Inside my parents’ home the family sat around the kitchen table, the makings of a leftover turkey dinner sitting on top of the counter and plates piled high on the table.
    Mom and Dad sat across the table with John next to them. William and Dolly had pulled in extra chairs from the dining room and Michael stood, leaning against the kitchen sink. The kids happily played in the snow where Henry pummeled his sister in a fierce snowball fight. I, with my arm cut and badly bruised and now encased in a sling, sat with my sister on one side and my grandmother protectively on the other.
    “‘Nothing is so exhilarating in life as to be shot at with no result,’” I said softly.
    “Amen to that,” Sam agreed.
    Meme made the sign of the cross with her right hand while keeping her left firmly on my arm.
    I turned my head and looked at the group. “So it was sirens I heard.”
    Mom reached across the table and patted my left hand. “Yes. And just in time.”
    “I’ve been asleep all this time?”
    “Just about.” Mom looked across the table at Samantha and Meme. “These two were by your side every second.”
    I playfully gave Sam a punch in the arm and then winced.
    “When the police pulled their car round back and turn on their lights there you were, straddling Monica. She was out cold. You looked like a wild woman who lived in the jungle.” Meme’s voice cracked and a tear escaped down her cheek. She pulled a tissue from the pocket of her dress and blew her nose.
    I shook my head. “I knew I only had one chance and I had to take it. I tackled Monica. It hauled back and threw her several feet. Then I jumped on her. Having the upper hand didn’t last very long.” I shrugged and gave a partial eye-roll. “She’s really strong and with one quick flip, she had me on my back and tried to get the piece of wood.”
    “’Why are you fighting me, Alex?’ she said. ‘You saw what I did to Elvira. She didn’t have a chance and neither do you.’ Spittle flew from her mouth—actually, it was more like she was foaming at the mouth.”
    “Yuk,” my sister said.
    “At that moment she looked like a wild, caged animal fighting for her life, but so was I and I know it sounds selfish but I thought I had a lot more to lose than Monica.” I looked at my family, all gathered around me and selfish or not, I did have more than Monica.
    “Then what happened?” Meme asked, still holding onto my arm.
    “I managed to bring my knee up to my chest, putting my foot right under her stomach area. I gathered all my strength in that one kick and lashed out with my good left arm at the same time. Monica flew backward.” I couldn’t help grimacing and Meme squeezed my arm.