“Goddammit!”
She focused and saw the light on in her bathroom. She always kept her light on, so she wouldn’t be scared if she woke up from a nightmare.
“Yeah, like that helped me.”
This one was bad, she went to turn on the lamp on her nightstand, and realized it wasn’t there. She blinked back tears when she realized that was what the breaking glass had been, she’d knocked it half way across the room with as she’d thrashed about. She yanked at the sweat soaked sheet. The damn thing was tangled around her like some kind of jungle vine. She kicked herself free then swung her legs over the side of the bed almost stepping in the glass.
Lisa crawled to the end of the bed, stumbled to the wall and slammed on the switch so that the overhead light turned on. She whipped her head around and sighed in relief. The two locks on her bedroom door were secure.
God, what kind of loser has locks on their bedroom door?
“Shut up!”
The nightmare was probably nothing, but maybe she had heard something. She’d already called the police three times over the last six weeks for no reason whatsoever, she wasn’t calling again. She picked up the aluminum softball bat that was beside the door, and slowly unlocked the door, and waited.
Her arms started to tremble. Lisa had no idea how long she’d been in this position, with the bat at the ready. Ten minutes? A half hour? An hour?
She was afraid to move even a millimeter to check her smartwatch. It wouldn’t matter if she did, since she had no idea when she first stood watch.
You’re such an idiot, Garcia!
She felt a tear slip through her defenses. The bat, which wasn’t all that heavy, felt like it was made of lead. Lisa felt her right hand begin to cramp, when she tried to loosen her grip so that she could relieve the pressure, she couldn’t get it to move.
She tried again.
Ahh God. Now her tense shoulders were starting tremble. She pushed herself against the wall, willing her body to move. She had to be able to swing the bat if someone came in. She had to.
She listened intently. She didn’t hear anything, but that didn’t matter. She remembered how quietly the SEALs could move. She hadn’t heard a thing when they’d come up behind the man who…who…
Lisa shook her head, willing away the memory. Willing all memories away, even the older ones that got confused with the newer ones. She pushed away from the wall and gritted her teeth.
I can do this. I can.
The bat started to lower as her shoulders lost strength. She rested the bat on her right shoulder, it wasn’t good because she would lose some of her speed when she swung, but she had no choice. Lisa heard her harsh breathing. She needed it to stop, it would tip off whoever was out there.
Breathe through your nose. You can do it.
She kept listening intently. Nothing. Or was there something.
What is it? Am I going crazy? How long have I been in this position?
Her back hit the wall as she slumped, but so did the bat, the metallic bing rang through her bedroom. Somebody was sure to have heard it. She pushed herself off the wall and tried to get back to a batter’s stance, but she couldn’t, she just couldn’t.
She should get up, right? She needed to keep her eyes open, if she didn’t she’d dream then there wouldn’t be a jungle, or in the back of Damon’s pick-up. Two times when she had been helpless. Utterly helpless.
Don’t close your eyes.
Please God, don’t let me close my eyes.
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