Pepper, the Highlander & the Dead Guy

That’s when the running footsteps headed our way.

“Run!” I ordered and followed after her, hitting the button on my flashlight to high.

The running footsteps behind me grew louder. He was catching up and fast. A flashlight didn’t offer much protection. I searched as I ran for anything to defend myself with and recalled the stack of wood planks I had seen. I just needed to reach them before the guy caught up with us.

I took off running harder, Amy already out of sight, and I slowed down when I recalled the stack wasn’t far off. Sure enough, I spotted them. The guy was getting closer, so I made a choice. I turned my flashlight off, dropped it into my jacket pocket, and grabbed a plank. I planted my feet firm and held the plank like a batter ready to hit a homerun.

The wobbling light coming down the dark corridor was pointed more to the ground so I didn’t get a look at the guy’s face, but I could tell from his outline that he wasn’t a small guy. I tucked myself back near the wall so he couldn’t see me and waited.

I had to time it perfectly. It felt like it took forever for him to reach me, but it was barely a minute or two. I waited until he got close enough, then stepped up as if at the batting plate and swung with all my might, knocking him to the ground. My hands and arms stung from the force of the blow, but I didn’t hesitate, I yanked my flashlight out of my pocket, and flashed it on him. His arm covered a good portion of his face, and he was groaning. Gripped in his hand was a large hunting knife. The image of Struthers’ dead, his throat cut, flashed through my mind, and I took off running.

Amy was already out of the cellar by the time I climbed out.

“He’s got a knife! A big one! The doors! The doors!” I yelled and Amy helped me swing them closed, then we took off for the front of the house screaming like banshees as we went, alerting anyone who might be around.

Amy rounded the corner to the lodge before I did and when I rounded it, it was to see her wrapped in Beau’s arms.

A second later, Ian’s arms caught me, and we stumbled. I pointed back from where we came. “In the cellar with a big knife.” I almost laughed, sounding like I was announcing the winning hand of the board game I excelled at.

Ian grabbed my arm and rushed me into the lodge, Beau already inside with Amy. He threw the lock on the doors and had my dad on the phone before I could even reach for my cell.

I didn’t realize I had drifted back into Ian’s arms or that I trembled. Or that I was glad to be there in his arms.

“It was the big knife,” I said as if that explained my reaction.

Ian didn’t say anything. He just held me.

Sirens were soon heard and flashing lights heralded the arrival of my dad and two other police cars.

I didn’t think twice about hurrying out to meet them.

“Inside!” my dad ordered.

Ian walked back into the lodge with me, though he didn’t lock the doors this time since policemen swarmed outside.

I waited on one of the two couches that faced each other, a coffee table in between, with a much-needed glass of red wine in my hand. Amy was already on her second. No one said a word. We waited in silence, and I was grateful that Ian kept his arm snug around me once again.

“My dad is not going to like what I tell him,” I confessed to Ian after the silence, along with my worry, became much too heavy.

“I didn’t like that you and Amy went into the cellar alone and especially at night,” Ian said. “You should have waited for me.”

“Spiders,” I whispered.

Ian returned his own whisper. “I would have braved spiders for you, Pep.”

The man did know how to tug at my heart. That’s when I realized. “Did you cut your night short because of me?”

“I wasn’t about to leave you in an old cellar alone.”

“A man and a knife,” I reminded.

“And a box,” Amy said, pointing to the box on the table that separated the couches we sat on.

“The box,” I said, remembering and swiped it off the table to show Ian the keyhole and heard something rattle inside it.

“That old key just might fit it,” Ian said, sounding as excited as I did when I first saw it.

“We could pry it open,” Beau suggested.

“No way,” Amy said before I could. “We don’t want to damage it before we see if the key fits it.”

“Your dad,” Beau said with a nod to the two front doors.