Week 463 – All of a sudden they hear dogs barking

“What do you think you’re doing?” Graham growled. His heart was hammering so hard and fast in his chest he was pretty sure he was having a heart attack, he had never in his life ben so scared as when he saw Sasha step out from the trees, wielding a branch like she’d been doing it all her life.

Golden brown eyes crinkled in confusion, Sasha looked up at him. “Saving you?”

“Didn’t I tell you to run?” he demanded as he stepped closer.

“I couldn’t. They were going to kill you.”

“Is that your problem?” It wasn’t like he wanted to die, of course he didn’t, he was way too young to die but he also didn’t want Sasha putting herself back in harm’s way.

“Well … I mean yes?” she stammered. “You saved me, I couldn’t leave you here. With them.”

“I sent you back there,” he growled, low and dangerous, his anger at himself feeling like a tangible thing.

Gaze softening, Sasha nodded. “You did, but he’s convincing, he tricked me too. And you came back for me, I can’t ever thank you enough for that.”

“It wasn’t enough,” he whispered. “He whipped you.”

“He did,” she agreed. “It wasn’t the first time, but thanks to you it can be the last.”

She was letting him off the hook way too easily, but now wasn’t the time to stand here beating himself up about it, he could do that later, once Sasha was safe.

“We have to go,” he said reaching out and taking her hand. If we can get to my car then we can get back into town, so to the cops.”

“I like that plan,” she agreed, curling her fingers around his.

All of a sudden they hear dogs barking, and he knew their chance of escape had just gotten a whole lot lower.