Page 63 of Revenge At Raleigh High

“SIIIIILVERR…”

Jacob’s voiceechoes up the stairs. The sound of broken glass hitting the floor tinkles prettily downstairs as I kick the shoe boxes aside and crouch down inside Dad’s closet, shutting myself in. I can’t…fucking…breathe…

“911, what’s your emergency?”

I screw my eyes shut. “Home…home invasion.” God, I sound so fucking loud. “Someone’s breaking into my house.”

On the floor below me, in the hallway, the front door slams.

He’s officially inside.

“What’s your address?” the 911 operator asks.

…paralyzed…

…can’t…

…speak…

“Ma’am? Your address? I’m gonna send a car out to you, but we’re going to confirm your location.”

“Fif-fifteen twenty-three Barkley Meadows Circle.”

“And your name?”

“Si—it’s Silver.”

Inside the closet, my whispered words are as loud as exploding bombs. I press my forehead against the door jamb, gritting my teeth together, straining to hear what’s happening downstairs.

Is he coming up here?

He’s going to find me.

There’s no way out of here.

I’m going to die in my father’s fucking shoe closet.

This isnothow I was supposed to go.

“SILVER!”My name rips through the tense quiet that’s blanketing the house. I jump, nearly dropping the phone.

“Was that the intruder?”the 911 operator asks.

“Y—yes.”

“Is the intruder known to you?”

“Yes. His—his name is Jacob Weaving. We go to school together.”

“Do you believe Jacob to be armed?”

“Yes. Yes, I do.”

“All right, Silver. Sit tight. A cruiser’s been dispatched. They should be with you any moment. Stay on the line with me while we wait for them, okay?”

“Okay.” It’s reassuring that there are cops on the way, but how long are they going to take to get here? Five minutes? Ten? Jacob’s already let himself in. He’s not the smartest, but it won’t take a genius to figure out where I’m hiding. Under the bed; in the closets: these are the first places people always look. I left Dad’s bedroom door open. Jake might have seen me flit across the top of the landing before he smashed the window in the front door. Even if he didn’t, there are only two floors to the house. Once he’s done searching the ground floor, it won’t be long before he’s stalking up here to find me.

Jesus Christ, this cannotbe happening. This cannotbe happening.