Little Ducky

Chapter 17: Mission Complete

Stampy's POV

"Charles!" I hiss softly at him. "Through that back window!"

He contemplates it for a second. "No." he says firmly and creeps towards the side of the house. I follow him, clearly confused. "What are we doing sneaking in here? He could see us!" I whisper in his ear as he balances himself on a garbage bin and tries to force open the window. He stops struggling with the window and looks down at me.

"I have no idea." he says cheerfully, and goes back trying to force the window open. I roll my eyes. He has no idea what he's doing..."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?!" I whisper cautiously, and he nods. I am not given any more hope than before; he seemed to hesitate before nodding, as if he was deciding whether to trust me with a big secret or not.

I truly hope that isn't the case.

Charles finally manages to get the window open, and when he does realise he's succeeded, he grins and bounces excitedly, causing the garbage bin he is standing on to wobble slightly. He climbs into the dark, musty house and I follow vigilantly behind him.

He seems too upbeat. He doesn't seem scared, or even fazed by the fact the John probably has a gun! John could kill him with one shot, and he doesn't even-

"What's wrong, Joe?" Charles asks, losing his upbeat emotions as he stares worryingly at my shocked face.

I stood still as stone. I had trusted him... It couldn't be a trap!

"N-nothing. I was just wondering... Why are you so positive and forward-thinking about this whole thing?" I stutter.

Charles sighs. "It's my way of hiding the absolute dread and the fear of death inside me. Smothering it with positivity, I guess. That's how I deal with nerve-racking situations. I don't know-"

I shush him and listen intently, my eyes open wide with fear and concentration. I had heard something. I knew I had!

"Joe-"

I shush him again. And as we stand, transfixed with silence, I hear the rhythmic tap of footsteps on the timber floors. And they were right above us.

Charles looks terrified, his eyes twitching as he stares at the ceiling. Someone was in the house with us.

We weren't alone... Which was good and bad.

It was good because it was probably John and our trip here wasn't for nothing.

But John was probably fully armed... Which was bad.

"So much for being positive in scary situations." I scoff quietly in Charles' ear, as I brush past him, carefully and softly walking toward the stairs.

I then hear a cry.

But I recognised it. It was Charlie! He and the girls were up there and they were still alive!

A slight jab on the shoulder made me turn.

Charles shakes his head, and then puts one hand up, which I think means I should be slow and careful... And not race up to them.

"Shouldn't we call the police now?" Charles breathes, and it's my turn to shake my head.

"Just let me make sure that John is definitely there-"

"No!" Charles whispers, but not quietly enough.

"What was that?" John's voice rasps from upstairs and those tapping footsteps race closer; approaching the stairs.

"Run!" I gasp and hide in the quickest place I can hide; a laundry chute. Jeez, this place was old if it had a laundry chute! I drop into the pile of laundry piled four metres from the basement where the laundry was collected.

I fell down and heard a muffled yell.

"Charles?" I whisper in surprise.

"Yep, it's me... Though I may not look the same when I come out of here... I think I broke my nose..." He complains quietly.

I wriggle down under the surface of the dirty shirts and dresses and hide my whole face except my eyes.

I hear a muffled rapping of footsteps, and Charles almost having a seizure beside me.

"-must be those kids from down the street! Oh, how I hate children!"

I scoff. He was barely out of schooling himself! Then again, neither was I. I'm only 24 myself.

"I can't wait to bring Bethany here, show her children to her, then force her to stay here with me! She'd rather marry me than see her little children die! But then... There would be an accident... I tried my best to save them, but it was too late! This is the price she has to pay..."

John laughs and I almost throw up. He was going to kill them no matter what.

"Ok, now it's time to call the cops." I whisper in Charles' ear. He nods and we quietly sink ourselves under the clothes and into the basement, and I hear John going back upstairs.

We sit on the floor and Charles dials the emergency number.

He speaks softly of our situation, and answers the questions that the police have. He tells them our location, and then he says goodbye.

"They're coming, Joe." he says.

"I just want to go up there and kill him." I mutter angrily.

Charles puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I know mate, but sometimes you've got to let the police handle it."

I sigh and nod and wait till I hear the sounds of cars scraping against the gravel outside.

Charles had requested they stay as silent as they could, as he knew John would run away if he realised.

We climb out the window and greet the police. They reassure us that everything's going to be ok.

Third Person POV

Three policemen are in the doorway of the room John is standing in. They are pointing their guns at him, and he is pointing his pistol at them. The three children are crying behind a child-proof fence, sitting on a blanket.

"You move, I shoot." John says, moving the gun to point at the three oblivious children. Charlie seems to realise what's going on and starts to scream louder.

"Put your weapon down, sir." One policeman commands.

John shakes his head and aims the gun at the policeman who spoke.

Then, from behind him, Stampy appears at the window, and John doesn't realise he's there until his gun is shot out of his hand, sent spinning across the room, and a policeman picks it up.

John spins to see who shot his only weapon from his hand and sees Stampy going to comfort his three scared children.

The police now had John firm in their grasp, and he was forcefully taken from the room. The ambulance had now arrived and were checking Stampy and his children for injuries, but besides from a few bruises and small cuts, there was nothing major.

"You can go home without going to the hospital for further check ups." One of the ambulance officers said.

I didn't plan on going to the hospital tonight, but I would go tomorrow so that Sqaishey could see that her children were safe.

"What about-"

"Charles is fine. He was a bit shaken-up and nervous, but he was able to go home without hesitation. He's fine."

I sigh in relief. We are all fine.

"Thanks." I say, before me and my kids head to my car, and drive all the way back to my apartment.

I lay silently in bed with my kids.

We're safe.