Chapter 3 - The Alleyway of Shadows
The latch of the kitchen window was stiff, rusted from years of summer humidity and neglected maintenance. My fingers, still clumsy from the lingering poison in my bloodstream, slipped against the cold brass.
"Hold on to my neck, Leo," I whispered, hoisting my son higher against my hip. His breathing was shallow, his small body radiating a worrying heat. The sedative was still working its way through his system, threatening to drag him back down into unconsciousness. I couldn't let that happen. If he fell asleep out here in the cold autumn air, I might never wake him up.
With a silent prayer, I threw my weight against the casement frame.
Crack.
The wood gave way with a sharp, protesting sound that echoed loudly in the quiet kitchen. I froze, holding my breath, my eyes darting toward the hallway. No footsteps. No returning car engine. Just the steady hum of the refrigerator.
Pushing the window wide open, I hoisted myself up, catching my hip hard on the sharp aluminum sill. A fresh wave of pain flared through my lower body, but I ignored it, hauling Leo out first and lowering him gently into the damp mulch of the flowerbed below.
"Stay right here, baby. Keep your back against the brick," I instructed, my voice barely audible over the rustling of the autumn leaves in the wind.
I scrambled through the opening after him, tumbling awkwardly into the narrow alleyway that separated our property from the vacant lot next door. The air outside was biting, sharp with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves. It shocked my system, clearing the last lingering cobwebs of the poison from my brain.
We needed a vehicle. Our cars were parked in the driveway, locked, and the keys were still hanging on the hook in the mudroom—right where David would see anyone approaching them. Even if we could get to them, the driveway was illuminated by a motion-sensor floodlight that would turn night into day the second we stepped out of the shadows.
We had to walk through the overgrown ravine at the back of our yard, crossing the dense tree line that bordered the old state park. It was a rough, unpaved mile through thick briars and uneven terrain, but it was the only path that led away from the house without exposing us to the road.
"Can you walk, Leo?" I asked, kneeling down and gripping his small shoulders.
He shook his head, his eyes heavy. "My legs feel like lead, Mom."
"I know. Put your arms around my neck. I'll carry you."
I scooped him up, gritting my teeth as the strain pulled at my sore muscles. Every step through the damp mulch was a battle against gravity and exhaustion. We slipped past the neighbor’s cedar fence, ducking into the deep shadows cast by the towering oak trees at the edge of the property line.
As we reached the mouth of the ravine, a sudden flash of light cut through the trees behind us.
I spun around, pressing myself and Leo flat against the rough bark of an ancient oak.
In the distance, the headlights of David’s SUV swept across the driveway. The heavy vehicle pulled to a halt right beside the front steps. The engine cut off, and a moment later, the driver’s side door slammed shut with a sharp, authoritative bang.
Through the dense tangle of branches, I watched his silhouette detach itself from the vehicle. He wasn't empty-handed. In his right hand, he carried a heavy, dark duffel bag—long and rigid, the unmistakable shape of a professional disposal kit.
He was moving fast now, his earlier calm replaced by a cold, efficient urgency. He knew that time was of the essence, that rigor mortis or a delayed emergency call could disrupt his meticulous timeline.
David strode up the front steps, pushed the door open, and vanished inside the house.
We had maybe three minutes before he realized the kitchen window was open, before he discovered that his carefully laid trap had sprung empty.
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"Move, Leo. Fast as you can," I whispered, turning into the dark, winding depths of the ravine.
We plunged into the blackness, the thorny briars tearing at our clothes and scratching our skin, driven forward by the terrifying knowledge that a hunter was right behind us.
