Chapter 2 - THE BASEMENT
Peter stopped thinking.
He acted.
He slammed both fists against the front door.
“Drew!”
Nothing.
“Lily!”
Still nothing.
He struck the door again.
Then kicked beside the lock.
Once.
Twice.
The frame cracked.
The third kick tore the door inward.
Peter charged through the entrance.
“DREW! LILY!”
A weak sound came from below.
The basement.
Peter reached the stairway and froze.
Drew was dragging himself upward using both arms.
His blue shirt was dirty. His face looked exhausted. One leg trailed awkwardly behind him.
Lily crawled behind her brother.
Peter rushed downward.
“Oh my God… Drew!”
Drew’s arms gave out.
Peter caught him before he slipped.
He carefully lifted the boy against his chest.
Lily grabbed Peter’s shirt.
Drew rested his head against Peter.
“She locked us down here again.”
Again.
That word struck Peter harder than anything else.
He guided Lily upward while carrying Drew.
“Please,” Drew whispered. “Don’t make us stay here.”
Peter reached the top, dropped to one knee and pulled both children close.
“No one is locking you down there again.”
Drew began crying.
Peter looked toward the basement.
A mattress sat in one corner.
Empty food wrappers.
Two bottles of water.
A plastic bucket.
No toys.
No television.
No reason for two children to be living there.
Peter’s anger rose so quickly that his hands shook.
“How could your mother treat her own child like this?”
Drew looked up.
Pure terror entered his face.
Then the front door slammed.
Peter turned.
Rachel stood in the doorway.
Rainwater dripped from her coat.
Her expression was not shocked.
It was controlled.
“What are you doing in my house?”
Peter rose.
“What am I doing?”
Rachel looked at Drew.
Then Lily.
Then the broken door.
“You broke into my home.”
“You locked your children in the basement!”
Rachel reached slowly into her purse.
Peter moved between her and the children.
She pulled out her phone.
Not a weapon.
She dialed.
“Police,” she said calmly when someone answered. “My brother just forced his way into my house. He’s unstable, and he’s trying to take my children.”
Peter stared at her.
Rachel’s eyes never left his.
Then she added something Peter never expected.
May you like
“He’s done this before.”
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