Soulmate

Chapter 30

"Lizzie, be careful, you're going to hurt yourself." Catherine advised her daughter as she watched her on the swing, propelling herself higher and higher. It was an ordinary afternoon. Having nothing better to do, Catherine and Lizzie had decided to go to the park. Catherine was sitting on a bench as she watched her daughter play. Suddenly, when the swing was at its highest, Lizzie jumped off it, landing on her feet on the ground. Catherine felt her heart skip a beat "Lizzie!"

Lizzie laughed "Nick taught me how to do that when we were on tour with them. Isn't it fun?"

"Yes, a lot of fun...but you just don't do it again, okay?"

A while later, the sky began to cloud over and gradually drops of water began to fall.

"Lizzie, we're going home, it's raining!" Catherine shouted to make herself heard over the noise of the rain. Lizzie would have liked to stay in the park playing, but she knew her mother wouldn't let her do that. She ran over to where Catherine was and grabbed her hand.

It was raining hard, and Catherine and Lizzie were sheltered in their house. After playing a couple of board games, they decided to watch a movie. What movie? The Little Mermaid, of course. Lizzie had seen it hundreds of times, but it didn't matter. Whenever she saw it, she enjoyed it as much as the first time.

They were halfway through the movie when the doorbell rang. It rang again. And again. And again. Catherine rose from the couch, wondering who it could be, and why it was so insistent. She peered through the peephole in the door, but could see no one. Finally, she opened the door very slowly. She looked one way and then the other, finding someone leaning against the wall of the house. Catherine felt herself turn pale and tried to close the door, but the man stepped in front of her and grabbed the door, making it impossible to close.

"Catherine, open the fucking door right now!" Mike Reid's voice echoed in Catherine's eardrums.

"No! Get the fuck out of here!" Catherine screamed, pushing the door with all her might to shut it.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Lizzie stood in the doorway connecting the foyer and the living room. Her green eyes reflected fear.

"Lizzie, run to my room, bolt the door and don't get out until I come get you, okay?" Catherine tried to make her voice sound as calm as possible. Lizzie sobbed before running off into the room.

Catherine spent a couple more minutes pushing. But Mike, who was bigger and stronger than she was, eventually won out and entered the house. Catherine tried to grab one of the vases there to defend herself, but Mike was quicker and grabbed her arm.