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Electricity surges through me as my palm cups her breast, gently squeezing as her teeth tug at my bottom lip.
I pull back slightly, hovering over her, our eyes locked on each other, when -
CRASH.
Glass shattering.
We freeze.
My ears strain to hear any sound other than the sudden panicked thrashing of my heart.
A pause. Then –thud.
Heavy footsteps on the wooden floor at the bottom of the stairs.
My pulse spikes so fast I feel dizzy, but I force my mind to focus.
I glance wildly around the room, searching for something to use as a weapon. Nothing. Nothing useful.
I quickly grab my coat off the floor, pulling my phone from the pocket.
No signal.
I desperately try the Emergency Call button, but it doesn’t connect.
“Where’s your phone?” I whisper.
“Downstairs,” she mouths, barely audible.
Fuck.
I try to picture the shape of the moments ahead – every possibility – like a storyboard flashing before my eyes. None of it is good.
Lila is trembling beside me.
I think quickly, trying to make a plan.
“Lila!” The voice explodes through the house like a bomb, and my blood turns to fire.
“Lila, you best hope you’re gettin’ the shag of your fucking life up there, it’s about to be your last!”A maniacal laugh rings through the air as Lila’s jaw drops, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.
Scanning the room, an idea materialises as I fly off the bed toward the window and yank the curtain rod out of the wall with a sharp metallicsnap, the bracket cracking from the force.
“Get the end off,” I hiss to Lila, passing her the opposite end of the rod.
Heavy footsteps start up the stairs.
Lila’s fingers fumble, but she gets the end off and the weight of half the curtain slides down onto the floor.
“Hide!” I say, quiet but firm, as I tilt the rod to let the second curtain fall.
Her soft brown hair disappears behind the bed just as the footsteps reach the landing.
I grip the rod firmly with both hands. My palms are sweating, arms tense.
I plant my feet wide, staring at the door.
A man appears in the doorway, with a pale sunken face, shaggy dirty blonde hair, and a cracked smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.