STALKED AND STOLEN

Chapter 3

"Where is she!?" the man in the mask shouted, his coice sounded muffled through the fabric of his black mask. His clothing, black combats and black sweater, made him look like he was part of a swat team, only his weapon of choice was a handgun that he held pointed towards her head.

I lean backwards, trying to stay pit of sight when I seen another man emerge from behind the chandelier. Dressed the same, tall, slender, and all in black, their faces covered, bar their mouths. The second man walked slowly around the foyer, inspecting the space around him. He stood with his legs parted, a hand gun in his hand, hanging at his waist.

The first man twisted his foot into Justyna’s back and she yelped. It went through me like a rocket up my butt and I sprung back up to my  feet.
"Hey!" I shouted, and my voice echoed around the foyer, before it bounced back and hit my own ears.
Their heads snapped up and all eyes fell on me. I instantly wanted to retreat and become invisible, but seeing Justyna lying on the floor, helpess and crying, ignited something inside me. A mixture of anger and fear pumped through my body like blood.

“Let her go. Just take what you want and go. There’s a safe in the office, inside the wall behind the door. There’s at least ten grand in there,” I offered, as they stood still, staring up at me. “I won’t call the police, just go, take it all.”

“Why don’tyou come down here, show us where it is,” the second man said in a gravelly voice. He waved his gun, gesturing for me to move, but I didn’t. My eyes darted between him and Justyna, I had no clue what to do.
“The code is four, three, four, six.” My fingers gripped the banister like my life dependeded on it, and my legs shook, struggling to keep me upright.
“Come down the stairs, and show us,” he repeated.

I swallowed hard and shook my head. I felt like one of those bobble heads that sit on the dash boards of cars. It felt like my head was too heavy and it would at any minute just fall off my neck and go rolling like a bowling ball down the stairs towards them.

“Get down the stairs, now!” the first man shouted. He bent over and grabbed Justyna by her long pony tail. She let out a scream as he pulled her up to her feet, and held her to his chest, his gun pressed against her temple. The look in her big brown eyes broke my heart. Justyna was the strongest person I knew, besides my dad, of course. But at this very moment she looked broken.

I prayed that somebody had heard the commotion, but it was late, and the house was so big. The staff would have most probably been tucked up in bed. The security guard probably fast asleep, or at the other side of the house, it was just my luck.

“Take what you want and go!”

“We will. As soon as we get what we want.” He stalled further towards the staircase and my hard exterior began to waver.

“Zoe, run!” Justyna screamed.

The man smacked her on the back of the head with the gun and she fell into a silent heap on the floor. I gasped so hard my whole body leaned backwards, and the two men came running for the staircase.

I turned and ran, but just like in the movies, I tripped on the top step and fell flat on my face. I scampered up to my feet, and darted away. I sprung like tigger into my bedroom and landed on my shoulder. But panic enveloped my body, I didn’t feel the pain. Ikicked the door shut and leaned my whole body weight against the door, which honestly, really wasn’t that much. I slid the little lock across and backed away.

My lungs burned as I panted, my fists clenched at my waist. My socks sunk into the thick piled carpet below me, and for a few moments all was silent.
Boom! It sounded like he hit the door with his whole body.

Boom, boom, boom! My breath caught and tears began to roll down my cheeks as I watched the door bulge on every hit. I looked around my bedroom frantically searching for something, anything, a weapon? Somewhere to escape? It felt like time had stopped and I was stood in some sort of alternate universe.