chapter : murder

chapter : harper

Harper's Escape

I resist the urge to rush to her side and comfort her in her last moments and turn so quickly, my hair flies out in all directions behind me. I feel a sting on my upper arm but force myself to leave it alone. I pull out the knife I grabbed earlier from my waistband, and raise it to stab her, not really aiming for a specific spot, really just trying to injure her so that I can make a break for it. She knocks the knife out of my hand before it can actually make contact with her body.

I whimper as my only defense, now on the floor, slides away from me. She moves closer to me without a word, and shuts the door behind me, trapping me once again inside the house. I run around her to the staircase and climb up the stairs so quickly I'm afraid my legs will fall out under me. Once I'm at the top I look from left to right, considering my options. I could lock myself in the storage closet.. Or, I could climb out the window. It's a twelve foot drop, I think, but a broken leg is better than what Ms. Everett would do to me if she caught me.

Before I decide what to do, Ms. Everett seems to decide for me. I dart out of the way and into the bedroom farthest away, locking the door behind me to stall for some time. I run to the far side of the room and unlock the window. But while I'm opening the window, and idea comes to mind.

I cover the now open window with the heavy curtain hanging to the side and search around the room for something, anything to use as a weapon. My eyes pause on a broken chair. The chair is laying on its side in front of a desk. I pick up the chair, and break off one of the already half broken legs against my knee. Wincing at the pain, I raise the leg as if I'm a batter lifting a baseball bat preparing to hit the winning ball. The ball in this case being Ms. Everett's head. I position myself on the side of the door I can get the easiest access to Ms. Everett when she comes in looking for me. I hear a thump against the door, and then the door swings open. I hold my breath hoping I can at least get this right.

She comes in breathing heavily, a look of confusion crossing her face when she looks around the room only to see I'm nowhere to be seen. But as she makes her way to the window, I swing the chair leg at her head, which makes contact with a sickening crack! sound. Without looking behind me to see if she's alive I drop the leg and dart to the window, climbing to the roof. I notice it's starting to rain, so the roof is a little wet. It takes me a minute to get my footing, but once I do I notice there's a conveniently placed dumpster on the side of the house. I could jump into that without breaking any limbs, it's not the cleanest but at least I'll live, I think with a smile on my face. I thank fate and leap into it, as soon as I land in it I climb up and out of the stink hole, rushing to the road, where I hear police sirens in the distance, to catch my breath.

Just as the police show up, I fall to the ground.

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