Come, Josephine

Chapter 15

1927

   I woke up soon after mamma and Jack left, and went about my day as normal as I could.
   I kept out of sight, but I felt uneasy still, as if I was being watched. Something did not sit well inside of me.
   I missed Jack and mamma horribly, and worried endlessly about them. What if something terrible had happened to them?
   I didn't know much about Caledon Hockley, but I knew he couldn't be trusted. I just had to hope that in a week they would be home as planned.
   I drew the nearby settlement from memory and focused on the finer details of the area. While Jack preferred portraits, I had a habit of sketching landscapes as well. I enjoyed how the world fell together so seamlessly on page.
   I finished sketch after sketch of the nearby scenery, mapping out everywhere from the lake, to the barn, to the hamlet. I drew the town square with extreme attention to detail. I paid great care to every leaf and blade of grass, shading the world around it.
   I created all of the landscapes that I could, even branching out into images from Sawtelle. I racked my memories for soothing memories, places and times. People appeared too- mamma, Jack, and even Nick. I brushed his image to the edges of my mind, yet he somehow ended up on paper.
   By midday, my heart hung heavy in my chest. I distracted myself the best I could- but worry gnawed at me. I pushed through it, refusing to budge at the desperation clawing at my insides.
   I had drawn all that I could from memory, I realised, and I would rather not draw self portraits or the interior of the house. I set my mind to looking out of the front window for inspiration while still being tucked out of the way.
   I made my way from my bedroom where I had been working, sketchbook in hand. I had made it down to the windows seat when I realised I had left my charcoal upstairs.
   Huffing, I retreated up the stairs. I was midway up when I heard knock at the door halted me in my tracks.
   Unusually, I had kept the door locked all day. I had no need to unlock it, and I felt safer that way. I knew it could not be mamma and Jack at the door as they had a door key and wouldn't bother with knocking.
   I turned to see who it was, cautious not to be seen. I only made it a few steps when I halted in my steps again. They person had knocked again, more frantically. Impatient.
   Looking from the top window would be safer, I realised, and went to my bedroom widow. When I looked down, I caught a glimpse of someone familiar standing on our porch.
   I almost called out, to Nick who stood below. Something in his face made me halt.
   Nick saw movement in the window, and flicked his eyes up to me. He looked exhausted- no- stressed and uncomfortable. It looked as if tears were about to fall from his kind eyes, and no laughter rested there. He met my eyes with dangerous steadiness, and flicked them to something by the other end of the porch.
   Hidden behind the balustrades, was a man. Something metallic and shiny shone in hands.
Run, Nick's eyes seemed to say, run, run, run-
   I nodded, the only conformation he needed. He returned his attention to the door.
   I knew I couldn't take the stairs- it would put me in plain view of the front door, if anyone tried looking in the front window. Instead, I decided to climb out of Jack's bedroom window.
   I went across the house silently, struggling not to make a sound. I dreaded to think what making a noise would do.
   I slid the sash window up, and managed to hold it up with the wooden holder that rested on the window sill. As I eased my leg out of the window, shifting my weight onto the porch roof below, I heard a male voice at the front of the house.
   "Where is the bitch?" Someone gasped, "tell me, or I'll kill you."
   "I don't know!" Nick pleaded, "please, I don't know."
   A furious huff, "I saw you in town yesterday!"
   "I know, I know, but I don't know her that well- please- listen, she might be in town-"
   I heard a violent scuffle, and swore to myself that I would find help and return to the house as soon as I could.
   I rolled onto the roof, and leaped off with an almost-silent thud. I tumbled across the grass, softening the impact, and made a move to run.
   Before I could sprint towards the cover of trees, the window above snapped shut. I inwardly recoiled, and froze. If I got caught-
   I threw myself forward and ran as fast as I could, panicking desperately.
   I heard footfalls behind me, but continued to run as fast as I could. I knew I couldn't make it out alive, but I'd be damned if I didn't put up a fight.
   A gun fired, far off, just as I reached the cover of the trees. I continued, throwing myself through the woodland.
   My root caught on a root, and I was sent flying forward. That was, until someone grabbed me and hauled me on. I glanced beside me, and it was Nick.
   "Hurry," he panted, and I breathlessly nodded. We pushed on.
   I could see the far edge of the woodland and a meadow on the other side. I aimed for it, forcing myself on.
   A pain seared through my thigh, and I stumbled. I heard a cry behind me, and a gunshot, before-
   I fell to the floor, head heavy, and tried to remember how to breath. My killer's footsteps neared, and I feigned death. He kicked me, pressing on the wound, and I somehow didn't scream.
I could hear him handling the gun, and could feel the target on my back- I shuddered, aware of what was about to happen.
He fired another shot, and if found it's mark on my back. I surprised another cry as heat flared across my back, and refused to take a breath. I prayed and prayed that he believed that would kill me.
   He chuckled, and his steps faded away. I tried to crawl home- but my head was so heavy-
   I fell into the cover of darkness.