I'm Not Dead

[ C H . 2 3 ]

This chapter is dedicated to @Est2010 for all the amazing feedback and promoting my story on multiple platforms! Generosity like that should never go unnoticed! <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~

With a creased brow, the unnamed man shook his gun in my face. 

"You ever taste a bullet?"

"No, are you planning on feeding me one?" 

If I kept my voice calm and seemed significantly fearless, perhaps he would reconsider shooting me. I wasn't one to sniffle while begging for my life, nor was I was to roll over. I was just waiting for the right moment to attack. I've never had to disarm someone before, but there was always a first time for everything.

The shotgun then menacingly clicked as he pumped it. "I will today if you don't get off my property!" 

A beat of silence passed between us. Then, with vigor, I shot up from my knees and grabbed the barrel of his gun, hoping to twist it out of his grip. Unfortunately, I hadn't considered my twisted ankle and the hot rush of pain when I stood made my knees buckle. Noting my moment of weakness, the man knocked my feet out from underneath me, making me hit the ground face first. I was starting the appreciate the taste of dirt.

Ramming the barrel of his gun into the back of my skull, he stepped down between my shoulder blades, pinning my chest to the ground. "That was the stupidest thing you could've done!" 

Squeezing my eyes shut, I braced myself for the collision of his bullet biting my brain but instead, my eardrums were graced with the sound of Eleanor's voice.

"Wait! Stop!" I felt her knees brush against my head as she dropped next to me. "Please, it has been a long night. We didn't mean to trespass or tear down your fence!" Her fingers protectively curled in my hair as she rested a reassuring hand on my head. "My brother didn't mean to disrespect you, he's just riled up from a stressful night, but he can make it right if given the chance."

Was she...was she defending me?

"And how exactly will he accomplish that?" The man growled, enforcing the pressure of the gun against my head as his heel dug into me. I wouldn't dignify him with a cry of fear or pain.

I swear I could almost hear Eleanor's brain knocking around as she scrambled for a response. Fortunately, she thought of a solution quickly. "He'll fix your fence. Both of my brothers will, they're really handy." Her firm voice became a desperate plea. "Please, give us a chance to make it right. We already lost our mother tonight and we have kids with us. I'll make sure he behaves, I promise."

For the tiniest second, I was convinced he was going to go ahead and shoot me despite her attempt to negotiate. Instead, he spoke. "Are you kids handy with anything else?"

Eleanor released a shaky breath. "What do you mean?"

"Cooking, cleaning, lawn maintenance, tending to a garden, guarding a property line--tasks like that."

Without hesitation, Eleanor answered. "Yes! Especially cooking, we're Italian!"

Sucking in a sharp through his teeth, he finally let the gun dropped away from my head, but he didn't remove his foot. "When this whole virus thing started my house staff quit. I could use someone to fill their positions until this mess blows over. I won't be paying you, but I'll allow you to sleep in the guest bedrooms and eat here."

"Deal," El gushed, standing up to shake his hand.

Lifting his foot off me, he allowed me to sit up as I watched the two of them shake hands in agreement. "Joe Caswell. You've probably heard of me; I do a lot of political work in the area."