Route 66

24 Life Changing

The dining room carpet was soaked with a chilling pool of dark, crimson blood, a horrifying stream trickling in from the kitchen.

I knew, instantly, that the blood was Julie's because directly in front of me, Beth and Matt were bound and gagged and realized my worst nightmare when I saw a thug in a turtleneck pointing a gun inches from Beth's head.

Randolph stood out in front of them all, his unflinching eyes studying my every move.

"Yes, it is you," he said half to himself and half to me. "It's remarkable. So what I've heard is true. You haven't aged at all. You, young lady, are a precious commodity and I've beat them to it all."

Thoughts ran frantically through my mind mapping my next action. I felt like passing out but couldn't allow that to happen, not now.

Randolph paced back and forth, his malicious eyes never leaving mine for an instant.

"No one has managed to escape from me...you're the only one. The girl you were with so many years ago was clever-yes, so clever. I asked her for your names and do you know what she told me? Her name was Jane Smith and you were Judy Jones, from New York City."

His calm demeanor abruptly changed as his voice rose to a fever pitch and he screamed, "Do you know how many women have the name of Judy Jones in New York City?! Well...I know now. Needless to say, tracking you down by name was IMPOSSIBLE!! Oh, but I tried, Veronica. You have no IDEA how hard I tried!"

"W−what do you want?" I stuttered.

"It's very simple really, come quietly and I'll spare the lives of your children."

I glanced quickly towards the kitchen.

"Oh, your babysitter didn't cooperate with us very well. It's really too bad," he said without a hint of remorse.

I responded in desperation and pleaded, "I'll go with you, just leave them alone! Move the gun away from my daughter's head!!!"

"Not yet," Randolph snapped. "Come closer."

I stumbled forward in sheer terror, feeling his hot breath against my skin.

"Look at me," he commanded.

My breath came out in heavy, wheezing gasps as I clenched my fists and slowly raised my eyes to his.

With an arrogant smirk he grabbed my shoulders and rammed a vicious knee to my gut as I collapsed, gasping for air.

As I lay there, helpless, he knelt down beside me and whispered, "You'll never escape from me again and I'll discover the secret of eternal life even if I have to dissect every cell of your living body to find it."

The next seconds were very confusing.

I heard a gunshot at close range as Randolph darted past me and flew through the picture window. A second one followed as a figure darted past in hot pursuit.

Was it? Yes. Blake!

Randolph's thug lay dead at Beth's feet with a gaping wound to his chest and I could breathe again, making it to my feet as the sound of booming gunfire pierced the night air.

I rushed to the kitchen to see if there was any hope for Julie but the bullet wound to her skull was clearly visible and her face, ash white. I knelt down and checked her pulse, hoping against all odds that there was some sign of life.

None could be found as I held her cold, lifeless hands in mine as if it would offer some comfort.

Next, I grabbed a knife and cut my children free and then glanced through the living room window and noticed neighbors mulling around our front yard and a squad car parked in the driveway.