Novel Sweet
Chapter 81
I couldn’t keep the horrible images from flooding my mind.
My mother and father in the front seat of the car, jerking as the assassin’s bullets struck them –
The man in the barn, his face erupting in blood as I fired the shotgun –
Massimo disappearing beneath the churning surface of the river.
The horror wouldn’t stop.
Neither would the pain. Zollner nearly dislocated my shoulders as he dragged me along.
After what seemed like an eternity, we reached a small cabin with a car parked next to it. He pulled me onto the wooden porch and left me lying there as he banged on the door with his fist.
“Help us – mein Gott, please, help us!” he cried in a panicked voice.
I didn’t understand at first what he was doing –
But as soon as I did, I stared up at him in terror.
“We need your help – a girl is hurt out here!” Zollner continued to shout as he banged on the door.
A light turned on above us, and the door opened the tiniest bit.
A middle-aged man peeked out and saw me lying on the ground. His eyes widened in shock.
I must have been a sight – my entire body covered in mud, my hair wet and stringy.
As soon as I saw the man, I screamed behind my gag and violently shook my head NO!Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
“Oh, thank God,” Zollner said, relief flooding his voice. “My daughter is terribly injured – can we borrow your car?”
“What’s wrong with her?” the man asked as he opened the door to peer down at me. “Is – is there something in her mouth?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, there is,” Zollner said pleasantly, then raised his gun and shot the man in the head.
BANG!
I screamed and cried as the man collapsed next to me.
Zollner stepped over the body and called out, “Is there anyone else in here?”
There was a woman’s voice – “What was that noise?! Who are – NO! – ”
BANG!
Then her voice stopped, too.
I sobbed as I lay there on the porch.
A minute later, Zollner came out jingling a pair of car keys between his fingers.
“Yaaaay!” he said excitedly, like a child who had just found a prize. “Now – will you walk to the car, or must I drag you?”
All I could do was stare into the dead man’s eyes.
When I didn’t answer, Zollner sighed theatrically.
“You really could make this so much easier on yourself,” he said as he dragged me off the porch and towards the car.
Please, God, I prayed through my tears. Please let Massimo be okay.