Page 48

Chapter forty-eight

Nora

Nora heard the conflict outside the back room. The muted tones and argument floated to her, causing Anna scramble to sit next to her, back against the concrete wall as they both stared at the locked door. Her leg bled profusely as she struggled to sit up, head dizzy from the blood loss. What’s happening? Simon?

Gunshots rang out, loud in the tiny bakery, making her move her hand away from her bloodied leg to cover her ears in alarm and duck her head. Oh no. And then silence reigned as she slowly removed her hands from her ears. Her heart pounded in the ringing silence that followed.

“Nora?” came Simon’s voice, desperate sounding, from the other room. “Where are you?”

Her ears rang from the gunshot noise. Simon?

“Nora?” he called again, his voice sounding closer, frantic.

She cleared her throat. “In here. Simon!” A little louder. “Are you okay?”

She heard footsteps coming closer and the door being hit. Both Nora and Anna recoiled as the door was hit again. The doorknob was pulled off as Simon ripped out the lock, opening the door on its hinges.

He stood there in the doorway, his shirt riddled with gunshot openings, his eyes wild. Behind him the bakery storefront was silent. Simon’s stance was set in an attack posture with the gun pointed in front of him. That stance softened, immediately, after his eyes met Nora’s.

Against the wall her body sagged. He’s here. Voice shaking, she whispered. “Simon!”

“Oh Nora.” His expression was one of pure fear as he walked, pocketing the gun. He slid down on his knees, reaching out with both hands. “Your leg. It . . .”

“Simon . . . you came.” She reached out with bloody hands, touching his shirt with shaky fingers.

“Of course, Nora. You’re hurt.” He gently touched her leg, moving it this way and that. The rag she had pressed to it had fallen off when she covered her ears. Simon looked closer, his tone anguished. “Your leg was shot?”

Nora hissed from the pain and pushed on his hands. “Paul is . . .”

He spoke in that calm, clinical way of his, his eyes focused on the bullet wound. “There is no more threat, Nora. It’s fine now.” He leaned forward all the way and softly pressed on the injury. “He hurt you. I think the bullet passed clean through, thankfully.”

“Tilly? Where’s my Tilly?” Nora’s face was slick with sweat from stress and blood loss.

Simon put the rag back on her leg and held it with pressure. “I hid her right outside of town a bit. Tilly is safe.”

Nora grabbed at his arm. “Hid her? My leg can wait. Please get her?”

“We will.” Simon gestured for Anna to come close. “Nora needs real bandages. Where are some? There is no more threat.”

“No threat?” Anna echoed, her voice small and lost. She was trembling all over, holding another bloodied rag in her hands. The bakery was silent except for the hum from the ovens.

Simon pushed up on Nora’s chin to gaze into her eyes.

They were fiery and intense, and just looking at them calmed Nora. She gripped his shirt harder.

He didn’t break eye contact as he answered Anna, “Yes. Stay here with Nora. Tell me where?”

“No. I’ll go,” Anna breathed heavily.

Simon turned, hand outstretched, as Anna whipped away. “No, Anna. Wait, stay out of . . .”

A bloodcurdling scream came from the front and then a choked sob, interrupting Simon’s words. He finished lamely, closing his eyes, “. . . the front room.”

Anna rushed back in almost immediately with a bolt of cloth in hand and her body trembling.

Unease filled Nora's stomach. “Anna?”

Anna collapsed on the floor, sinking down on her knees and choking out the words, “Paul is dead. And his friends. There’s several . . . out there. I can’t . . .”

Nora gasped. Dead?

Simon said to Anna, calmly. “One of them ran away. We need to be fast now, in case he brings others back. I’ll take that fabric to make a bandage for Nora. A tourniquet.”

Anna just sat, detached with a vacant expression.

Nora swallowed and couldn’t speak for a minute as Simon left her side to go to Anna. Several dead? The sharp smell of blood hung in the air.

Simon’s voice filtered back. “I’m sorry, Anna. I know it’s a shock. You’ll come back with us, okay?”

Anna’s face was chalky white. Then she swiftly nodded once, hand on her pregnant stomach and eyes focused on the floor.

Simon tore the fabric in his hands as he walked back to Nora. There was a pained expression on his face as he examined her leg.

Her leg kept bleeding, but Nora shook her head profusely. Nora tried to brush his hands aside but he held hers tight. “Tilly first. I can’t . . . she matters more than my leg. I don’t like her being out there alone.”

Simon's tone was gruff. “No, Nora. You will let me lead right now. You are losing too much blood. Trust me. You fixed me and I will take care of you.”

A cry escaped her. “But Simon. . .”

Simon took a hand and lifted her head with a firm touch. There was fire in his eyes as he ran his finger gently against her chin. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I’m sorry that my anger made you come here alone initially.”

“No, it’s . . .” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I knew you would come.”

Simon’s hand was soft on her leg. “Always. As soon as I’m done with this we will go to Tilly. She is outside the town. We will all go out to meet her together. She is in a safe spot, I promise. I need to get you ready to be moved.”

Swiftly, he took her leg and straightened it out. The pain made Nora unable to focus on anything else as she grimaced and let out a groan. It hurts so much.

Simon spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry. I need to get this tied to stop the blood.”

Nora saw stars in her vision as Simon took a measure of the makeshift bandage and wrapped her leg quickly. She tried not to jerk away during his movements and instead looked over at the quiet baking equipment around the room. Across to her, Anna watched on with hollow eyes.

With the bandage tied tight, Simon took off her shoe and pinched her toe. “Blood flow is fine. I’ll do this better once we are out of town.” He stood, walking toward the front room. “Tilly is safe. Wait here a moment. We will go to her.”

“Where are you going?”

He paused. “To look out front. We need to figure out the best way to get out.”

Nora watched him walk away and attempted, unsuccessfully, to gather her feet under her to stand. The pain made her give up a second later and she sank back to the ground.

“Where are you going then? Once you’re out of town?” Anna asked, holding a hand to her pregnant belly as she came and sat next to Nora. “Paul . . . I can’t . . .”

Nora’s head was so woozy, and her ears were still ringing. She focused on Anna’s scared face. “We’re getting the hell out of here. You’re coming too. Just wait for Simon, okay?”