Closer Raisa Chapter 2

I made it home. As I slid my key in the lock I instantly felt better. It was like a flannel blanket had been thrown around my shoulders. Warmth, security and safety surrounded me. My apartment door opened about the time my cell phone rang. Sunsaray was calling.1

“I was just getting ready to call you,” I said before she even said hello. “The scene was compromised. I’ve got a turkey baster full of the victims blood, brain matter in a cup and the police looking for my car.”2

“I know. I heard over the police scanner.” Sunsaray’s smooth voice broadcasted through the phone.3

I now let myself panic. I barely got the door shut before I started pacing through the kitchen. “What am I to do? I’ve never had this come up. How could this have happened?” I asked, my voice raising.4

Silence answered me.5

“Sunsaray? Sunsaray, what am I to do?” I asked again, trying to keep the desperation out of my voice.6

Sunsaray sighed heavily before replying, “Calm down, Raisa. Standard procedure requires that you seek a safe house.”7

I heard paper being shuffled. Sunsaray wasn’t use to using a computer yet. “The closest one is on Brophy, 610 Brophy Way.”8

“Thanks, Sunsaray.” Relief tingled up my spine9

“I’ll keep my eyes to the ground,“ she chuckled. This used to be our joke, it wasn’t funny anymore and Sunsaray’s laughed faded off.10

“You do that.” I hung up without saying goodbye.11

In training they had advised having a bag packed for emergency. I kept one in my closet and car. It was one of the lessons I did remember, but barely.12

Forgoing the one in my closet, I grabbed my keys and headed back out. The hall and elevator passed without my notice, with the smell of lemon and sweat in the background of my brain. My lip was getting raw from all the chewing on it. All I needed to do was get to the safe house, lie low and wait it out. I couldn’t get there fast enough. It was like the getaway from the penthouse.13

Outside I circled my Toyota. Nothing about it had changed, but I paced around it looking for something out of place. Thoughts of the police standing behind the car writing the license number down and imagines of him calling it in, knowing my address, dispatching a car to my apartment, filled me with fear.14

The longer I stayed here, debating on the safety of my apartment the closer the cops would be.15

I could no longer torture myself and I jumped in. The road ahead was bumpy, slightly dangerous and I trembled as I hit the gas. It felt as if no place was safe for me at this moment. 16

Sunsaray said she would monitor the police radio and let me know when or if something happened. Sunsaray hadn’t called so the tension eased a bit between my shoulder blades.17

Having control over a stronger beast then myself, the car, I continued to get control of myself. The soft hum of the tires underneath me soothed the rest of my tension. Gripping the wheel of the metal beast, I felt in control of myself, wholly, in control of my surroundings, of what my future held.18

Tenth and Brophy neared and I slowed down to take the corner. The hard plastic molded with my fingers as I smoothly rounded the pavement. Cars of all make and model bordered the tree-lined street. A sense of peace and belonging flowed over my body, making the air easier to breathe. My grip on the wheel lessened and I stretched my fingers out, releasing the stress of the night. I counted the house numbers. The closer I got the safer I felt. Not that I thought I was completely hidden from the law, but the frown I had placed on my face smoothed out.19

The street stretched out before me and my Toyota ate up the blacktop. Block after block passed without incident. The six hundred block snuck up on me and I slowed with a jerk.20

Rolling my head back to release the stress, I watched the numbers pass by. I braked hard as I neared six hundred and ten. Two nondescript white vans were parked nose to ass across the street. Dark glass glared back at me as I drove by. Something felt wrong to me. Something was out of place.21

If I had been an animal the air would have smelled different, the vibration would have been off and the hairs would have stood up on end and bent over backwards on my arms and neck, but I was human and the only indication was my gut clenching.22

I drove on past and parked two drives down. I squeezed in between two late model Fords.23

I quickly walked up to the house. It looked like every other one on the block - cute little ranch style house with pansies bordering the walk. On the horizon a faint pink peeked through the houses. Dawn was close.24

Still the not-right feeling pricked at the back of my mind. I stood at the steps in front of the door and listened. With everything that had happened this day I was not going to walk into any more danger if I didn’t have to.25

I could hear voices coming from within. I couldn’t understand what was being said. Shadows danced behind the closed curtains. Suddenly a woman’s voice yelled "No!" Fear and panic filled that one word.26

Muffled shots broke the peaceful early morning. Birds took wing and the neighborhood dogs set about barking.27

I involuntarily let out a cry, loud enough for the occupants to hear. I turned to run as the door was thrown open. I sprinted down the walk and hopped over the pansy border. Bullets raced by my head and it took all I had not to lay down and surrender. I’d never been so afraid. The chase at the penthouse was nothing compared to this.28

A burning sensation seared my upper arm and I hissed in pain. I’d been hit. I continued to run and cut through someone’s backyard, heading for the alley behind the yard. I could hear the yells from my pursuers.29

Movement on my right made me glance that way. An enormous russet-brown dog ran along side me. I stopped, thinking it was going to attack and I readied myself, but it stopped with me. The dog just sat down with its pink tongue hanging off to the side.30

My would-be killers were still after me and since the dog didn’t attack I started running again. The dog followed close beside me. Somehow it comforted me.31

I cut through three more yards with the animal loping with my pace. I needed to find a place to hide and to call someone. Garbage cans lined the alleys and shadows inched out into the middle of the crowded lane. I searched frantically for someplace deep and dark enough to catch my breath and wait for my pursuers to give up.32

Just then I tripped and hit the dirt hard, knocking the wind out of me. I lay there breathing hard for a moment or two. I sneezed as I sucked in dust. Grit filled my mouth and I spit mud to clear my throat. 33

Off to my left, nestled between a mature lilac bush and a tall wooden fence, was a hidey-hole. If I hadn’t fell I would have never seen it. Fate was on my side again this morning. I had found my hiding spot.34

I dialed Sunsaray first. I was breathing hard and trying to mask it. The connection went right to voice mail. “Sunsaray, the safe house has been breached. I don’t know what else to do but to call Kale. I hope the Gods are kind.”35

The phone rang in my ear and the echo in between was deafening. I could feel the rejection and betrayal before Kale even picked up. When he did pick up it sounded like he dropped the phone twice before it made it to his ear, and then a muffled hello.36

I hesitated. There was no cliché lump in my throat, there was a bowling ball caught there. The ball was holding up my ability to talk. When I heard his voice no sound came forth.37

“Hello?” Kale asked, clearer this time. 38

Still I couldn’t talk. I could hardly breathe. Here I was sitting in the gray of dawn, running from the police and my safe haven was no longer safe and I couldn’t talk to the one person I knew would help. The one person I had called.39

“Raisa? Raisa, I’m going to hang up now.”40

“No!” I screamed, my hand shook as I held the phone to my ear. 41

“Wow! Raisa, what’s going on?” he asked.42

It all came out in a rush. It was like a faucet had been turned on and my night came running out and swirled down the drain.43

“Which safe house?” He asked after I had finished.44

“The one on Brophy.” I answered quietly.45

“Ok, I’ll call 911, while you head over here. We’ll figure out what to do then.”46

***47

“Kale?” I whispered. The dog had snuggled in beside me and his warmth gave me comfort. “Kale, I can’t get back to my car. I’m sure they’re watching it.”48

I ran my hands through the dog’s soft fur as I waited for Kale to speak.249

“All right, I’m heading over there now. Where exactly are you?”50

I was not about to crawl out of my hiding spot to check street signs. I tightened my grip on the dog’s neck. “You just drive around Brophy and I’ll find you.”51

A loud sigh brushed my ear through the phone. “Fair enough. See you in a bit.”52

Soft footfalls were heading in my direction. I felt the dog beside me tense and I grabbed him hard at the neck. His head swung back like he was going to nip at me, but stopped before contact. He relaxed a little.53

In the next instant I heard a couple of metal garbage cans being turned over. Who had metal cans this day and age? They were looking for me still.54

A low growl rumbled from the throat of my companion. I wrapped my arm around his neck to quiet the noise. The pre-dawn wasn’t warm and I shivered slightly, but the dog’s warmth against my side gave me comfort.55

I could hear the gasping breath of my shooter and smelled the dry dirt that his or her footfalls stirred up. On the same line of thinking, my breathing sounded loud in my ears and I tried to take a deep soothing breath. 56

I’m an avid reader, but I had never understood when in books they’d write ‘my heart beat like the blows of a blacksmith's anvil’ or other such dribble. I knew now. I just knew, whoever was searching for me could hear it.57

I wanted this over. I was tired of being chased and I was tired of not knowing what was going on. Besides, my legs were cramping. If I didn’t leave soon, my legs would slowly go numb.58

A gate opened just beside my hiding spot and I buried my head in the dog's fur. I know it’s the coward’s way, but I didn’t want to see this person. I remember being little and hiding behind my hands. I just knew no one could see me. It wasn’t true then and it wasn’t true now, but I did it anyways, willing the person away.59

I felt the dog tense its hind muscles, but I wasn’t prepared for what happened next. One minute he was at my side, the next he was jumping on the man that had been shooting at me. At least I assumed it was the same man. He was holding the same sort of gun near his thigh.60

I watched as the dog jumped on its hindquarters and planted its huge paw on the man’s chest, covering it. Through brown back legs I noticed the man wore black pants and sneakers. As the shooter went down the night's silence was broken with a loud grunt.61

The dog was snapping at the man’s face and the shooter was trying to use the gun to keep the dog's teeth from him. The man’s black stocking hat slipped off his balding head and the street lights reflected off of it.62

This was my chance. Here was my chance to run, to escape. I hoped he was alone. Instead of running I groped around behind me. My damp hand fell across something hard. Bringing it closer to the light, I found it was a sizeable rock.63

The man and dog were still in their strange dance, when I made my way behind the man. I balanced the rock in one hand above my head. I brought it down with all my strength. Either I was stronger or the adrenalin gave me strength, because I knocked him clean out.64

I stood, mouth open, probably drooling, staring at what I had just done. I had a sick feeling floating in my stomach and my hands began to shake. I doubled over and threw up the bile that had been, until recently, doing its job in my tummy.65

A warm, wet tongue licked my cheek and my vision stopped dancing long enough to see the dog was trying to get my attention. It was now the time to run. I just hoped Kale was somewhere near.66

***67

The dog and I stood pressed against a bordering hedge. Its recently trimmed branches poked into my spine and the dog shifted every few seconds, as if looking for a more comfortable position. Four cars passed our place of hiding, but none were the old BMW Kale drove. The sun was showing more of its glory. Shadows became more distanced and gray blobs became toys, bikes, garden hoses, etc., all things you would find in a family neighborhood.68

I saw no one else in the dawn’s light and I started to think I had gotten away. I watched a cat stalk across a yard, chasing what I couldn’t see. On my left lights had come on and I thought someone was getting ready for the office. 69

Faint lights bounced off the cars parked on the street. I pushed a stray branch down and squinted through. In this light I couldn’t tell the color of the car, but it was a 90-something BMW.70

My heart skipped a beat and relief flooded through my body, limbs loosened and blood continued to flow. I knew this was Kale. I almost ran out into the street when he slowly nosed by, but I stopped because of leftover resentment and fear.71

Questions poured into my mind. Would he hate me? He didn’t sound like it on the phone, but really did that mean anything? He was probably being professional. Would he really help me after our stormy relationship? Would the hurt and anger still be on the surface? Or would Kale have buried it deep? So many thoughts spun through my mind. Was I being arrogant? Did I even matter that much to him then? Do I now?72

The decision to run down the car was taken out of my hands when the dog ran out into the street. Out of fear and panic I ran after him.73

“Stop! “ I shouted in the stillness of the morning. Early birds had started their dawn chorus, but were cut off by my shrill voice.74

The car slammed on its brakes and a soft brown head peeked out from the driver's window. “Raisa? Raisa, get in here. What the hell is that?” he said, referring to the dog.75

“Never mind about him, “ I replied as I ran to the car. “Just step on the gas and get me out of here. Come on, boy!” I called out.76

“Raisa, you are not serious!” Kale snorted, as the dog crawled in.77

“Are you kidding? This dog saved my life! Now get moving and no questions!” I barked.78