Safe Haven(37)
Author: Nicholas Sparks

Racked by coughing spasms, she stumbled forward, dragging Josh and Kristen. Both of them were wailingbetween hoarse bouts of coughing. She tried to free herself to raise the bedroom window, but Kristen and Joshclung to her.

“I need to open the window!” she screamed, shaking herself free. “This is the only way out!” In their panic, theydidn’t understand, but Katie didn’t have time to explain. Frantically, she tore at the old-fashioned window lock andtried to heave the heavy pane up. It wouldn’t budge. Peering closer, Katie realized that the frame had been paintedshut, probably years ago. She didn’t know what to do, but the sight of the two children staring at her in terrorcleared her head. She looked around, frantic, finally seizing the rocking chair.

It was heavy, but somehow she lifted it above her shoulder and heaved it at the window with all her might. Itcracked but didn’t break. She tried again, sobbing through a last burst of adrenaline and fear, and this time therocking chair went flying out, crashing onto the overhang below. Moving fast, Katie raced to the bed and tore offthe comforter. She bundled it around Josh and Kristen and began pushing them toward the window.

There was a loud splintering sound behind her as part of the wall burst into flame, tendrils licking the ceiling.

Katie turned in panic, pausing long enough to notice the portrait that hung on the wall. She stared at it, alreadyknowing it was of Alex’s wife, because there was no one else it could be. She blinked, thinking it was an illusion, adistortion created by the smoke and fear. She took an involuntary step toward the eerily familiar face when sheheard a roar above her as the ceiling started to give way.

Whirling around, she pushed through the window, holding the kids in the circle of her arms and praying thatthe comforter would protect them from glass shards. They seemed to hang in the air for an eternity, Katie twistingas they fell so that the kids would land on top of her. She hit the overhang on her back with a whump. It wasn’t far,maybe four or five feet, but the impact left her breathless before pain rolled over her in waves.

Josh and Kristen were hiccuping in fear, wailing and coughing. But they were alive. She blinked, trying not topass out, sure she’d broken her back. But she hadn’t; she moved one leg, then the other. She shook her head toclear her vision. Josh and Kristen were struggling on top of her, trying to get free of the comforter. Above her,tongues of flame began to flare from the broken bedroom window. Flames were everywhere now, all over thehouse, and she knew they had only seconds to live unless she somehow summoned the strength to move.

On his way back from Joyce’s house, Alex noticed the sky glowing orange just above the blackened tree line onthe outskirts of town. He hadn’t seen that as they drove into town and navigated the streets to Joyce’s home. Now,however, he frowned as he turned in that direction. Something in his gut told him that danger lay ahead, and hedebated only an instant before pressing down on the accelerator.

Josh and Kristen were already sitting up as Katie rolled over. The ground was perhaps a ten-foot drop from theoverhang, but she had to risk it. They were running out of time. Josh continued to sob but didn’t protest as Katiequickly explained what was going to happen next. She seized his arms, trying to keep her voice steady.

“I’m going to lower you as far as I can, but then you’re going to have to jump.”

He nodded, seemingly in shock, and she quickly scooted toward the edge, dragging Josh with her. He movedto the edge and she grabbed his hand. The overhang was shaking now, fire climbing up both support columns.

Josh climbed over, legs first, holding on, Katie sliding on her belly toward the edge. Lowering him… God, theagony in her arms… four feet, no more, she told herself. He wouldn’t fall far and he would land on his feet.

She let go as the roof shuddered. Kristen crawled toward her, trembling.

“Okay, baby, your turn,” Katie urged. “Give me your hand.”

She did the same thing with Kristen, holding her breath as she let go. A moment later, both of them were ontheir feet, staring up at her. They were waiting for her.

“Run!” she screamed. “Move back!”

Her words were swallowed by another coughing spasm, and she knew she had to move. She grabbed the edgeof the overhang and swung one leg off, then the other. She dangled for only an instant before her grip weakened.

She hit the ground and felt her knees buckle before she rolled to a stop in front of the store entrance. Her legsscreamed with pain, but she had to get the kids to safety. She scrambled toward them, seizing their hands andbeginning to drag them away.

Fire was dancing, leaping, spurting toward the sky. Nearby trees caught fire, their upper branches sparking likefirecrackers. There was a sharp clap, loud enough to make her ears ring. She chanced a peek over her shoulder,just in time to see the walls of the building collapse inward. Then there was the deafening sound of an explosion,and Katie and the kids were knocked over in the scorching blast of air.

By the time the three of them caught their breath and turned to look, the store was nothing but a gigantic coneof fire.

But they’d made it. She pulled both Josh and Kristen toward her. They were whimpering as she put her armsaround them and she kissed the tops of their heads. “You’re okay,” she murmured. “You’re safe now.”

It was only when a shadow appeared before her that she realized she was wrong.

It was him, looming over them, a gun at his side.

Kevin.

In the jeep, Alex kept his foot clamped down on the gas pedal, growing more worried with every passing second.

Though the fire was still too far away to pinpoint the location with accuracy, his stomach began to seize up. Thereweren’t too many structures in that direction, mostly a few isolated farmhouses. And, of course, the store.

He leaned over the steering wheel, as if to urge the car forward. Faster.

Katie had trouble processing what she was seeing.

“Where is he?” Kevin rasped out. The words came out slurred, but she recognized the voice, even with hisface partly in shadow. The inferno blazed behind him and his face was covered in soot and blood. There weresmears of what she thought was blood on his shirt as well. In his hand the Glock shone, like it had been dipped ina barrel of oil.

He’s here, Jo had said in Katie’s dream.

Who?

You know.

Kevin raised the gun, pointing it at her. “I just want to talk to him, Erin.”

Katie got to her feet. Kristen and Josh clung to her, fear etched on their faces. Kevin’s eyes were feral, hismovements jerky. He took a step toward them, almost losing his balance. The gun swung back and forth.

Unsteady.

He was ready to kill them all, Katie realized. He’d already tried to kill them with the fire. But drunk, very drunk.

Worse than she’d ever seen him. He was out of control, beyond reason.

She had to get the kids away, had to give them a chance to run.

“Hi, Kevin,” she purred. She forced herself to smile. “Why are you holding that gun? Did you come to get me?

Are you all right, baby?”

Kevin blinked. The voice, soft and sultry, sweet. He liked it when she sounded like that, and he thought it was adream. But he wasn’t dreaming and Erin was standing in front of him. She smiled as she took a step forward. “Ilove you, Kevin, and I always knew you’d come.”

He stared. There were two of her now and then only one. He had told people she was in New Hampshire takingcare of a sick friend, but there weren’t any footprints in the snow and his calls were forwarded and a little boy hadbeen shot and there was pizza sauce on his forehead and now Erin was here, telling him that she loved him.

Closer , Katie thought. Almost there. She took another step forward, pushing the kids behind her.

“Can you bring me home?” Her voice pleaded with him, begged like Erin used to, but her hair was short andbrown and she was moving closer and he wondered why she wasn’t scared and he wanted to pull the trigger buthe loved her. If only he could stop the hammering inside his head—

Suddenly, Katie lunged forward, pushing the gun away. It fired, the sound like a vicious slap, but she keptmoving forward, clinging to his wrist, not letting go. Kristen started to scream.

“RUN!” Katie shouted over her shoulder. “Josh, take Kristen and run! He’s got a gun! Get as far away as youcan and hide!”

The panic in Katie’s voice seemed to galvanize Josh and he grabbed Kristen’s hand and took off running. Theyheaded toward the road, racing for Katie’s house. Fleeing for their lives.

“Bitch!” Kevin screamed, trying to free his arm. Katie lowered her mouth and bit down as hard as she couldand Kevin let out a ferocious cry. Trying to pull the arm free, he slammed his other fist into her temple. Instantly,she saw flashes of white light. She bit down again, finding his thumb this time, and he screamed, letting go of thegun. It clattered to the ground and he punched her again, catching her on her cheekbone, knocking her to theground.

He kicked her in the back and she arched with pain. But she kept moving, in panic now, fueled by the certaintythat he meant to kill her and the kids. She had to give them time to get away. She rose to all fours and startedcrawling, moving fast, gaining speed. Finally, she surged to her feet, a sprinter coming out of the blocks.

She ran as fast as she could, forcing herself forward, but she felt his body slam into her from behind and shelay breathless on the ground again. He grabbed her by the hair and hit her again. He seized an arm and twisted it,trying to work it behind her back, but he was off balance and she was slippery enough to turn onto her back.

Reaching up, she clawed at his eyes, catching one in the corner, tearing hard.

Fighting for her life, adrenaline flooding her limbs. Fighting now, for all the times she hadn’t. Fighting to give thekids time to run away and hide. Screaming curses at him, hating him, refusing to let him beat her again.

He snatched at her fingers, tottering off balance, and she used the opportunity to wiggle away. She felt himclawing at her legs, but his grip wasn’t good enough and she pulled one leg free. Pulling her knee up toward herchin, she kicked him with all her force, stunning him as she connected with his chin. She did it again, watchingthis time as he toppled sideways, his arms grabbing at nothing.

She scrambled to her feet and started to run again, but Kevin was up just as quickly. A few feet away, she sawthe gun and she lunged for it.

Alex was driving recklessly now, praying for the safety of Kristen and Josh and Katie, whispering their names inpanic.

He passed the gravel road and rounded the bend, his stomach dropping as his premonition proved right.

Before him the entire tableau spread out beyond his windshield, like a portrait of hell.

He noticed movement on the side of the road, up ahead. Two small figures, dressed in white pajamas. Josh andKristen. He slammed on the brakes.

He was out of the car and rushing toward them almost before the jeep came to a halt. They cried out for him asthey ran, and he bent down to scoop them into his arms.

“You’re okay,” he murmured over and over, holding them in the tight circle of his arms. “You’re okay, you’reokay.”

Kristen and Josh were both sobbing and hiccuping and at first he didn’t understand what they were sayingbecause they weren’t talking about the fire. They were crying about a man with a gun, that Miss Katie was fightinghim, and then he suddenly knew with chilling clarity what had happened.

He pushed them into the jeep and wheeled it around, racing toward Katie’s house as his fingers punched thespeed dial on his cell phone. He reached a startled Joyce on the second ring and told her to have her daughterdrive her to Katie’s house now, that it was an emergency, that she should call the police immediately. Then hehung up.

Gravel sprayed as he came to a skidding halt in front of Katie’s house.

He dropped the kids off and told them to run inside, that he would be back for them as quick as he could. Hecounted off the seconds as he turned around and gunned the engine for the store, praying that he wasn’t too late.

Praying that Katie was still alive.

Kevin saw the gun in the same instant she did and dove for it, reaching it first. He snatched it up and pointed it ather, enraged. He grabbed her by the hair and put the gun to her head as he began dragging her across the lot.

“Leave me? You can’t leave me!”

Behind the store, beneath a tree, she saw his car, with its Massachusetts plates. The heat from the firescorched her face, singeing the hair on her arms. Kevin was raging at her, his voice slurred and raw.

“You’re my wife!”

In the distance, she could faintly make out sirens, but they seemed so far away.

When they reached the car, she tried to fight again but Kevin slammed her head onto the roof and she almostpassed out. He opened the trunk and tried to force her in. Somehow she turned and managed to drive her kneeinto his groin. She heard him gasp and felt his grip loosen momentarily.

She pushed blindly, tearing out of his grasp, and started running for her life. She knew the bullet was coming,that she was about to die.

He couldn’t understand why she was fighting, could barely breathe through the pain. She’d never fought himbefore, had never scratched at his eyes or kicked or bitten him. She wasn’t acting like his wife and her hair wasbrown but she sounded like Erin… He started staggering after her, raising the gun, aiming, but there were twoErins and both were running.

He pulled the trigger.

Katie gasped as she heard the shot, waiting for the flash of pain, but it didn’t come. She kept running andsuddenly it occurred to her that he’d missed. She veered left and then right, still in the lot, desperate for some kindof shelter. But there was nothing.

Kevin staggered after her, his hands slippery with blood, slipping on the trigger. He felt like he was about to vomitagain. She was getting farther away, moving from side to side, and he couldn’t keep her in sight. She was trying toget away but she wouldn’t because she was his wife. He would bring her home because he loved her, and then hewould shoot her dead because he hated her.