When Lightning Strikes [COMPLETED]

Chapter 4: Dance, Dance, Dance (Part 3)

“What are you doing? I’m trying to help you! We have to run!”

Running sounded good, and Julie let go of the table leg. He pulled her upright easily and shoved her ahead of him. She stumbled across the room, twisting her way around the dining tables to another door on the other side of the room.

She stumbled at a loud popping noise. Her ears rang and everything around her went quiet.

Was that a gunshot?

Her skin prickled and flushed cold with fear. The door behind them splintered as the man shot the lock off. The door flipped open as soon as they reached it.

Mr. Black pushed her through, slamming the door behind them. The sound rushed back to her as he clicked another lock. Julie leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. He paused for a second, glancing each way in the dimly lit service hall.

“This way.” He dragged her along behind him. His hand grasped her gloved one tightly.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Quiet.” He ran past a couple of doors and opened one at random. But when he entered, he kept up the pace as if he knew where to go.

There was another gunshot, and a piece of wall flicked off beside her. She stumbled, as the man chasing them blew through the other door to the hall. Her eyes started to water, and she blinked back tears. Mr. Black pulled her up, half carrying her as she regained her balance. They ran through another doorway, turned again, and went in another. Julie was completely lost.

They went through a set of double doors with round windows in them. On the other side were long stainless steel tables, and oven ranges lined the opposite wall. The floor in here was tiled, unlike the carpeted hallways, and her shoes clattered.

Mr. Black swung her up with ease, causing her to let out a little yelp, as her stomach hit is shoulder. His arm held her steady across the top of the back of her thighs. She was glad that he couldn’t see the instant flush to her face.

He carried her over the tile floor and gently put her down when they reached a large metal door on the other side. He opened it up and stuck his head out, peering around.

A cool breeze wafted in with the scent of rotten food. They stepped out onto a concrete landing. Clearly this was where delivery trucks brought food to the hotel.

A little further down the alleyway there was a dumpster. One light illuminated the alley, just above their heads, putting everything else in shadow.

Another alley.Julie backed up against the door. She didn’t want to go out there.

“Wait here,” Mr. Black said. “And take those stupid gloves off. If you need to grab something, they’ll slip right over it.”

He hopped down into the darkness as sirens rose in the distance. As she pulled off one of the gloves, she saw a pair of headlights turn on, temporarily blinding her. The car started forward, blinking its lights a few times in a pattern.

Mr. Black gave the car a thumb’s up sign. He turned around, peering up at her. “Okay, hop down, and I’ll catch you.”

Julie hesitated. “Umm, I know we have been running from the man with the gun, but I’m not sure about this. I mean, getting in a car with you.”

He arched a brow. “We can talk about this in a minute. We need to go. I will take you home. I promise.”

She backed up against the door where he couldn’t reach her. Wasn’t that the type of thing all crazy kidnappers would say? She waved her arms at him, placating. “Look, I appreciate your help with whatever this is, but I think I should run down the alley. I don’t need a ride or anything. Once I find my brother, I can get home.”

The sirens were getting closer. The police would be here soon, and she would be safe. She didn’t need him. Mr. Black pulled himself up next to her on the platform.

“Okay, I get that you are scared.” His voice was smooth. He kept his distance from her with his palms held up and out to her. “Normally it wouldn’t be a good idea to get in the car with someone you don’t know, but I promise that I will get you back to your parents.”

She relaxed a little. This was a teacher at her school. They did background checks, right? Maybe she should trust him. He had pulled her away from a man trying to shoot her. Or maybe the man was trying to shoot him.

Behind her, the door pushed open. She fell down, and a hand grabbed her hair. The gunman started to pull her back inside the building. She screamed and kicked, blocking Mr. Black from helping her.

This time the gunshot was so loud her ears rang. She couldn’t hear anything for a few seconds. Mr. Black ducked down below the concrete entrance to the kitchen.

“Stop fighting me!” The man inside yanked at her head. “Stop, or I will shoot!”

Julie stopped thrashing. She tried to get a hand up on her head where the man was tugging her hair. Her one gloved hand kept slipping off the man’s hand , but she wanted him to stop.

Mr. Black peeked his head above the concrete, and their eyes met briefly. Even though hers were watering with pain, she could see the fury and fear sketched across his face. There was a set determination to his jaw, and she knew that he wouldn’t let this man take her anywhere.

He was afraid for her.

The gun went off above her again as he ducked back down.

“Stop it, or I’ll shoot her!” The man’s voice was filled with panic.

Her hand finally touched the callused one holding her hair.

Something inside her seized up. All of her energy tightened into a ball. Then all at once, it released, and the alley was lit up with a brief flash of white light. The hand on her hair dropped as the man cried out and fell back into the building. The door clicked behind him. A faint whiff of burnt hair tickled her nose.

Had she zapped him somehow?She toppled forward, falling to the front of the concrete pad and bumping her head on the side railing. She was so tired and could barely keep her eyes open.

***

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