AllFreeNovel
Share Us
One leads outside, into the alley behind my building. The other leads to the inside of the bakery.
My instincts tell me to run, but I hear another crash and my hands tremble with a mixture of fear and rage. I spent years working on this shop. All my hard-earned money is invested in this shop.
How can I just walk away?
A prayer on my lips, I unlock the door and slip inside.
The heat gets stronger. Sweat pours down my temples as I realize that this is the source of the unbearable heat in my apartment.
Somebody has turned on the stoves – or at least, I hope that’s what they did.
I walk along the wall, staying within the shadows. I know all about blending in and hiding; I was doing that as a child.
Bat gripped tight in my sweaty hands, I hear someone cursing in the kitchen area, and I edge around the corner. My knees weaken when I see orange and yellow being reflected in the glass pane facing the kitchen.
Horror courses through me as I realize that someone is in the process of trying to burn down my bakery.
A movement in my peripheral vision before I get slammed into the ground, my only weapon leaving my hands. I try to get up before a heavy boot kick comes into contact with my stomach and I cry out in pain, trying to curl up, instinctively.
The shower of silent blows accompanied only by heavy breathing sends me back to a time when I was smaller, defenseless as a man with big meaty hands would lift me by my hair and rain endless blows on my face and chest.
I force my eyes open despite the pain, rage taking over.
I am no longer a victim!
I try to push back the pain and roll away, scrambling to my feet, and backing away from my attacker. I can’t see his face as I move towards the kitchen.
My ribs burn, and the fiery agony tells me that there is a very strong possibility that I might have broken one or two of them. I don’t bother with them.
I can’t.
The person advances, and my back hits the display counter. I gasp and quickly dart behind it. The light switches are at the other end of the room, and I have no hope of getting there.
If I could, there is a twenty-four-hour shop right across from the bakery, and Mr. Lionel would be alerted at seeing the lights on.
“Who are you?!” I bite out, unable to raise my voice, the pain coming in dizzying waves, as I try to breathe.
The man doesn’t say anything, just advances menacingly. I take a few steps back, until my back comes into contact with the marble counter. Light and shadow dance across the man’s face, completely covered by cloth except for his eyes.
My hands pat the counter, searching for an effective if makeshift weapon, and it comes in contact with the covered muffin rack that I just placed on the counter a few hours ago to let the muffins cool.
It is made from iron, and that is reflected in its weight. I wait for the man to come closer before I grab the rack and hit him in the face, making him howl and fall.
Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, I try to rush past him to the light switches, but I must be more badly injured than I feel, and I am not fast enough. A large hand grabs my ankle.
He yanks it, making me fall. My hands rise for protection; I hear the crack in my wrist before I feel the rush of a familiar pain.
My head is spinning – I’m dizzy with the throbbing pain that feels like liquid fire, rushing through my body. I feel his weight on my stomach as he settles on my injured body to prevent me from escaping.
I barely feel the glancing blows on my face as I fight back, my nails scratching at him viciously.
I am not going to be a victim! My mind is screaming, desperate tears streaking down my face.
I see the glint of steel, before the man raises his arms.
A knife?!
I look around for a weapon, anything, before all that weight simply disappears, as my assailant is yanked off me.
