He Came Knocking

11

Adrian woke up with a start, she swiped her long black hair out of her face and looked around. Her pale face started to bead into a sweat, she had definitely heard a noise.2

Stepping her bare foot onto the cold, wooden, floor, she started to creep out of bed. Walking silently to the closet, she pulled her robe out and put it on. Then she started creeping to the door. If Jack had finally found her and Jamie she was in a lot of danger. He would hit her again, and this time there might not be a phone so conveniently nearby. As she left her room, she grabbed a baseball bat that was sitting by her dresser for emergencies.3

As she stepped out onto the landing, she looked down and there he was. "What are you doing here Jack?"4

"I'm here for my girl... and my wife."5

"You don't have a wife anymore, and you can't have Jamie!"6

"You can't do this to me Addy."7

"Jack get out. This is my property, and I want you to leave."8

"Don't make me hurt you Addy!"9

"You won't ever hurt me again, ever." By then Jack was all the way up the stairs, coming at her. Adrian swung the bat and missed his head, hitting him on the shoulder. He brushed it off, and kept coming toward her. She swung the bat again, this time hitting him on the leg, his bad leg.10

He fell to the ground with a quiet yelp, "Women, how dare you. You're gonna pay!"11

"How did you find us?"12

"You left the most obvious paper trail I've ever seen," Jack winced, trying to grin through the pain, "I knew you were stupid Addy, but come on!!"13

"Jack don't make me have to drag you out of here in a body bag!"14

"Shhhh, you'll wake our little girl."15

"She is not your little girl!" Adrian brought down the bat a third time, hitting him in the stomach. Jack rolled over in pain, and started to cough up blood.16

"Women, when I get up-"17

"What Jack? You've been here for about ten minutes and still haven't even touched me, I don't think you're gonna do anything."18

Adrian went to Jack, "You're violating three court orders, so I suggest you get out. Here I'll help you." She pushed him down the stairs with her foot, and through the door, then closed and leaned against it. As she picked up the phone to call the police, the door swung back open, knocking her off her feet. 19

2 20

"YOU'RE NOT TAKING ME TO JAIL AGAIN!" Jack picked her up by her neck and pushed her against the wall, the phone slung out of her hand and smashed, "Listen here! You're gonna let me see my daughter and your gonna live with me back in my house!"21

"Ninamilyerskillgirs."22

"What?"23

"Nevinamilyerskillgirts." Jack set her down, pinning her to the wall by her arms.24

"What!?"25

"I said, 'Never in a million years, you'll have to kill me first.' You dumb hick!"26

"Okay." Jack punched her in her eye, and threw her across the room. Jamie appeared at the stairs.27

"Mom, What's going on, how did he find us?"28

"Go back in your room! It'll be okay!"29

"NO!! I don't want him to hurt you!!" Jamie whined.30

"Jamie, go back in you're room, and lock the door. DO IT NOW!!" Jamie ran back into her room frightened, she looked around and found a phone. Picking it up, she did exactly what her mother told her to do in an emergency, she dialed 911.31

"Hello-" 32

"Help!! My dad want's to kill my mom!!" Jamie burst out, interrupting the operator.33

"Where are you?"34

"In the middle of the woods, we're the only house out here, help us!"35

"Do you know which woods?"36

"The big forest in Warsham."37

"Warsham... In West Abraham?"38

"Yes, Look, I'm fourteen... I'm scared, my dad has a record of killing."39

"Some one will be there in a second, stay on the phone with me."40

Jamie began to cry, "Will m-my m-mom get in t-trouble for hurting m-my d-dad?"41

"I though you said your dad was hurting your Mom?"42

"Well, my Mom made him mad 'cause she was hitting him."43

"Okay Sweety, my dispatcher says someone is at your door. Can you let us in?"44

"N-No. Mom told me to stay upstairs."45

"Well that's okay, we'll just have to force entry." 46

3 47

"I'll get out and find you again Addy!!" Jack screamed as the cop pushed him into the car.48

"Ma'am. Would you like to stay somewhere else for a little while."49

"More like forever. But I can't leave a trail this time."50

"He can't trace you overseas."51

"Well, how long will he be in jail."52

"To tell you the truth ma'am, probably a night, maybe two."53

"WHAT!!? But, he violated probation, two restraining orders, and he hit me!"54

"But you hit him first, it was self defense."55

"NO!! I was acting on self defense, he was coming right at me, he would have killed me!"56

"Our legal system sucks ma'am." The police officer tipped his hat, got into his car, and left.57

Adrian ran back into the house, "JAMIE!!!"58

"Yes Mom." Jamie came downstairs.59

"Pack your bags, were leaving again."60

"Okay Mom." Jamie ran back upstairs, and disapeared into her room. When they were packed, Adrian sat Jamie down, "Baby, we're leaving again, okay?"61

"He'll just find us again..."   "Not this time. We're going underground."62