Swell (Complete)

Chapter Thirty (Part One)

"It don't matter where I'm falling,
Cause I can't get my mind right,
I need to pull it together if there's no one to catch me."

....

Adora let the front door close behind her and looked out over the car park in front of the Escape. Dodge's car was surrounded by other cars; guests for the long weekend.
She took a deep breath of the fresh air; the scent of rain was thick and she smiled slightly as she focussed on the comforting smell.
It was a few moments later when she opened her eyes and saw the rectangle box by the brick wall of the staircase.
She frowned as she looked at the prettily wrapped box and moved the few steps over to pick it up.
Her name was written in neat cursive on a string tag and her chest tightened.
She looked around as her hands absently pulled on the blue bow and it loosened and came untied.
Who was leaving her presents?
She swallowed a nervous lump and lifted the lid of the box.
Soft white tissue paper was folded over to protect the gift and Adora tilted her head as she lifted the first layers.
Her throat constricted and her eyes widened.
She whimpered and backed into the front door, leaving the box on the top of the brick wall as she gaped and struggled for air.
He knew where she lived.
Her wide eyes scanned the car park, the trees surrounding it.
Was he here now? Was he watching her?
"Adora, I've got the ord..." Dodge's voice cut short as he opened the front door behind her and she turned into his body.
He wrapped his arms around her and she trembled and started pulling air in desperately.
"Adora, what's wrong?"
Shakily she pointed to the gift and she felt her knees buckling.
"Whoa..." Dodge caught her and lowered them both to the wooden decking of the patio. "Breathe, come on..."
She choked and forced a deep breath in, which started a series of short and fast gasps. Her head started to spin and she felt her face burning.
"It's alright, Adora, slow down. Breathe." Dodge cupped her face in his hands and met her eyes.
She was hyperventilating, still trembling, but she gulped a mouthful of air and held it for a few seconds before she let it go.
Her chest was aching, and when she exhaled she wrapped her arms around Dodge's waist and cried into his chest.
"Iain!" Dodge called out towards the yard. "Iain!"
Adora rocked in Dodge's arms and squeezed her eyes shut.
Her only thought was to keep breathing.
"Dodge?" Iain's yell was distant, confused.
"Front! Now!"

Iain heard the urgency in his brother's voice and dropped the garden fork before he made a run to the front of the house. He froze on the front steps as he saw Dodge holding their cousin.
"What's wrong?" He frowned.
Dodge nodded towards the brick wall and Iain looked over and saw the opened box.
He gingerly walked over and peered into the rectangle.
His lips parted as he looked at the brown haired doll nestled with tissue paper. The long, dark brown hair was thick and free, there was red marker over the doll's lips and as his eyes moved down in the box he felt his heart starting to beat faster.
The middle of the doll was covered with thick, silver duct tape. Arms and thighs bound to the body. On the top and bottom of the tape's edge, bits of blue fabric poked out.
It was Adora. Or it was meant to be. He felt his face turn cold as he tried to figure out how to touch the gift and show Dodge.
He didn't want to disturb any possible fingerprints, and felt himself swaying in disbelief.
He let go of a long breath and reached into his pocket.
"What is it?" Dodge frowned.
"It's a call to the police." Iain muttered, looking from the phone to his brother and cousin as he held it to his ear.
He looked down at the doll and swallowed a thick lump as the phone rang. There was a small envelope covering the dolls ankles and shoes. Part of him wanted to take the envelope and open it, the other part of him turned around as he heard someone pick up the phone.
Dodge frowned down at Adora's head and carefully pried himself out of her sobbing grip. He left her against the wall of the house and stood up to go inspect the box.
He hadn't known what to expect, but the doll taped up was not it.
He picked up the corner of the small envelope and tried to touch as little of it as possible as he opened it and took out the small card.
The cursive was neat and eeriely attractive. He looked from the words in the small card to his cousin.
Adora was now almost cuddling the wall of her home.
He couldn't let her see this. He closed the card and put it back on the taped doll.
Was the stalker still here? Watching them?
Iain finished on the phone and came close enough to him to whisper.
"What did it say?"
"Bound to you." Dodge muttered back.
"It's meant to be her, isn't it?" Iain looked from Dodge to Adora.
"I think so."