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COAL MOUNTAIN

Thursday, November 26

Four Days Later

A monster was inside the house.

Seven-year-old Taylor shivered at the sound of his footsteps. The attic room where Mama had put her and her sister had always been scary. It was dusty and dark. She heard a mouse skitter across the floor.

She wanted to run and scream, but Mama had told them to hide and be quiet.

She’d locked them up to keep them safe from the man. But what about Mama herself?

Taylor pressed her ear to the vent. “What have you done to Joel?” Mama cried. Joel was their daddy.

“Joel’s gone, Claire,” the monster barked.

Taylor’s stomach clenched. No, he was lying. Daddy would come back any minute and make the monster leave. For Thanksgiving, Mama would light the candles for the table and Daddy would carve the big turkey Mama cooked. And for dessert they’d gorge on apple pie with ice cream and they’d go around the table and everyone would say what they were thankful for.

“What do you want?” Mama asked in a shaky voice.

“The girls,” he snapped.

“No!” Mama screamed.

“Shut up, Claire!” The sound of a thump echoed loud and clear. Tears clogged Taylor’s throat. What had he done to Mama?

“Mama,” Heidi whimpered from inside the closet.

“Shh,” Taylor whispered.

Her stomach was a ball of nerves as she curled up next to the door standing between her and her sister. They’d been inseparable since birth, identical twins who shared a silent language of their own. Best friends who’d do anything for the other.

“What’s happening?” Heidi cried.

“I think he hurt Mama.” Taylor pressed her hand to the door as if she could touch her sister through the thick wood. “We have to get help.”

“No,” Heidi hissed. “I’m scared.”

A shiver rippled up Taylor’s spine. “If we stay here, he’ll kill us.” She jiggled the doorknob to the closet, opened it and saw Heidi curled into a ball on the floor in the corner. “Come on. Let’s push the trunk away from the door then we can sneak downstairs.”

Heidi shook her head back and forth. “Mama said to stay in here.”

Their mama screamed again, sending panic through Taylor. “But he’ll find us,” Taylor hissed.

“We can’t leave Mama,” Heidi cried.

“We’ll find help, someone to save her.”

Taylor stooped down in front of her sister and tugged at Heidi’s arms. They were wrapped around her knees so tightly that Taylor gritted her teeth. “Come on, we have to hurry.”

Tears dripped down Heidi’s pale face. But Taylor yanked her hand until Heidi stood, then she motioned her over to the trunk. When Mama locked them in here, she’d told them to push it against the door to keep him from getting in.

They had to move it now to get out. Together they pushed and shoved until the trunk shifted. Taylor’s arms shook with the effort, but fear drove her and she pushed as hard as she could. Finally, the trunk moved. Then she eased the door open with a creak.

She held her breath and froze. Had he heard it? Would he come up here now?

Heidi started to cry again, but Taylor pressed her hand over her sister’s mouth to shush her. Then she dragged her through the doorway. Hand in hand, they tiptoed down the rickety staircase.

Mama’s sobs wrenched the air, and Taylor considered running in her room to fight him. But he was a hulking figure and there was no way she and Heidi could drag him off their mother.

Hearts hammering, they ducked into the kitchen and ran out the back door.

Wind blasted her face. The sky looked dark and scary.

She searched for the moon to guide them but couldn’t find it. Only the darkness and shadows of the trees loomed ahead. The forest was scary, but they dove into it. It was the shortest way to the road.

The town was too far away to make it there tonight, but maybe they could flag someone down for help.

A loud booming sound came from behind them, and she and Heidi plunged ahead into the thick bed of trees. Mama had always warned them not to go into the woods. The bears roamed at night and might eat them.

There was an old coal mine somewhere nearby, too. Mama said it was dangerous.

But Taylor was more scared of the man than bears or the dark mines. Maybe they could hide in there till morning.

Behind her, he bellowed their names. Shaking with fear, she and Heidi hurried through the weeds. She stumbled through the overgrown brush. A long vine twisted around her ankle like a snake. She shook it free, her heart pounding.

Her legs ached as she ran. Heidi tripped and she had to stop and help her.

His voice thundered behind them. Taylor turned and saw bushes parting.

“Come on, we can’t stop now.” She pushed Heidi into a cluster of bushes then into the mine opening.

She heard him slashing at the brush and shouting ugly words but they hunkered down and sat there for what seemed like hours. She and Heidi hugged each other and closed their eyes, trying to make themselves invisible.

Creepy sounds echoed from inside the mine. Water trickling. Animals skittering.

Taylor swatted at something that felt like a spider crawling on her. Minutes ticked by. The wind whistled through the mine. Heidi cried into her hands. Taylor rocked her back and forth until they both grew tired and sleepy. But just as she thought they were safe, something rattled outside. A stick was hurled into the cave, then a rock. Heidi startled and let out a small cry.

Then more footsteps, and she heard his breathing. He’d found them.

She bit her tongue to keep from screaming, then tasted blood. A second later, she felt his cold fingers on her neck and he dragged her from the mine into the bushes.