Page 16

LOU

I could hardly sleep, especially since Ajax was out. It was 2 AM when I looked at the digital clock on the bedside table and heard low voices coming from the living room.

My heart began to race, and I held my breath out of fear. I thought of the gun Ajax had given me two nights before and cursed under my breath. It was still in my purse on the kitchen table. I climbed out of bed, put on a robe, then crept to my bedroom door. Opening it, I walked down the hall into the living room to see Mick and Sheila standing in the kitchen.

Mick yelped in surprise as I marched over to Sheila when she started to rummage through my purse on the kitchen table and pulled out the gun.

"Oh no, you don't, you little troublemaker!" I shouted, snatching the gun from her. "What in the hell are you doing!"

Sheila's mouth dropped open in surprise, and she stepped back. "I was just trying to find your cigarettes."

I looked at Mick, who stood there like a doe caught in headlights. "You're never going to learn, are you?" I fumed.

"I told her not to go into your purse."

I turned to Sheila, shoving the gun back inside my purse. "Why the hell are you in my house this late at night?"

Mick sighed. "Her asshole stepdad is on a drinking binge and tried to attack Sheila tonight, so I told her to come over and stay the night in my room."

"Well, hello there," someone said.

The three of us turned around to see a tall man with long black hair and a beard standing in the doorway. Two other men stood behind him.

Danger!

"Mick, Sheila, go into your bedroom and lock the door," I said, sliding my hand into my purse.

The girls screamed as the men rushed toward us. I raised the gun, aimed it at the long-haired man, and pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang, and the man howled in pain as the bullet struck him in the shoulder. But it didn't stop him, just made him angry. He grabbed a hold of my wrists and twisted, then backhanded me across the face. I cried out in pain, dropping the gun and falling to the floor.