brought her mind back to normality for a second or two. The thought of permanent disfigurement started to enter her mind. She fought it, pushed it down, and scanned the room for a distraction. She saw the door, wide open.
Freedom.
Get out of here first. You're lucky to be alive . Worry about the damage later .
She tried to roll over, to no avail. She closed her eyes and focused. Her equilibrium returned and time reset to normal speed. The phantom noise was all too real. The goose bumps on her flesh pricked.
Was that a siren?
After a moment, she confirmed it. The sound of a police siren was nearing the house. Its cacophonic sound, one that contained the innate ability to strike fear into the hearts of the criminal, made Dani sit up. The faint blue lights were flickering across the bedroom wall, projected through the window. Teddy's room faced out onto the street, which meant the police were near.
Is it a trick?
Don't be daft.
Dani heard squeaking hinges. The squeak was high for a second, and then died off. She recognised it instantly. It was her front door. Several footfalls followed.
Coming in, not going out.
Dani took a deep breath, leaned on her right side to avoid crushing her stab wound, and edged towards the open door of the bedroom. Her tongue moved involuntarily to the hole in her face. Dani forced it back to the centre of her mouth and groaned. She felt saliva ooze from the hole and dribble down her ripped cheek. A throbbing pain – dull now, adrenaline was keeping it contained – pulsed through her neck. Her entire head felt like a giant heartbeat.
Dani crawled slowly.
She glanced over at Teddy and felt a sudden loss, a yearning to see her brother one more time, for him to run past her, mocking her. Dani wanted to hear that voice again, just once. All she could see were his legs, his upper body hidden – shrouded in blood-soaked shadows within the wardrobe. Her eyes observed the bloodstains on the carpet, most from her own battered torso. Her arms, legs and front shined dark crimson in the flashing lights. A staggered blood trail smeared the carpet, ending at her waist. She moved her tongue back to the centre of her mouth and composed herself.
This was her fault.
She brought him upstairs.
If they'd headed for the garage – as Dad had suggested – none of this would have happened.
Taking one final look at her dead brother, Dani breathed in, composed herself, and crawled into the hallway. Sweat broke out on her skin, dampening the dried blood there. The severed flesh stung, sending pin pricks of pain into her brain. She stopped and rolled onto her back, exhausted.
"Hello? Anyone here?" A voice in the house beckoned, full of authority.
"Here," her voice came out croaky. She cleared her throat. The newcomer heard it. "We have someone upstairs. Secure the room. Medics!"
Joy washed over Dani, followed by grief and absolute heartbreak. She began crying and sobbing. Seconds later, torchlight illuminated her bloody, broken body. " Here! "
One thing was clear.
Bradley was gone.
"Ma'am…I'm Detective Inspector Scott."
Dani looked up at the doorway. She now sat on Teddy's bed. Her shredded face cast pale in the flashlight that scanned the room. After a second, the new arrival turned on the lights, flooding the room with brightness. Dani flinched, covering her face. Scott took a step forward.
"What's your name, sweetheart?"
"Da…Dani."
"Dani, I'm Mr Scott…you can call me Jack, okay?
Scott walked into the room, his baton ready, and stopped. His eyes rested on the wardrobe and the massacre within. Teddy's legs were poking out from the doorway - his body face down. Jack glanced from the wardrobe, to Dani and her bloodstained clothing, and breathed out. His eyes settled on her face for the first time. He saw the wounds, the gashes in her skin, contrasting against her perfect complexion. It looked like she was smiling, a wide smile like a clown, only horribly visceral. Jack narrowed his eyes
Freedom.
Get out of here first. You're lucky to be alive . Worry about the damage later .
She tried to roll over, to no avail. She closed her eyes and focused. Her equilibrium returned and time reset to normal speed. The phantom noise was all too real. The goose bumps on her flesh pricked.
Was that a siren?
After a moment, she confirmed it. The sound of a police siren was nearing the house. Its cacophonic sound, one that contained the innate ability to strike fear into the hearts of the criminal, made Dani sit up. The faint blue lights were flickering across the bedroom wall, projected through the window. Teddy's room faced out onto the street, which meant the police were near.
Is it a trick?
Don't be daft.
Dani heard squeaking hinges. The squeak was high for a second, and then died off. She recognised it instantly. It was her front door. Several footfalls followed.
Coming in, not going out.
Dani took a deep breath, leaned on her right side to avoid crushing her stab wound, and edged towards the open door of the bedroom. Her tongue moved involuntarily to the hole in her face. Dani forced it back to the centre of her mouth and groaned. She felt saliva ooze from the hole and dribble down her ripped cheek. A throbbing pain – dull now, adrenaline was keeping it contained – pulsed through her neck. Her entire head felt like a giant heartbeat.
Dani crawled slowly.
She glanced over at Teddy and felt a sudden loss, a yearning to see her brother one more time, for him to run past her, mocking her. Dani wanted to hear that voice again, just once. All she could see were his legs, his upper body hidden – shrouded in blood-soaked shadows within the wardrobe. Her eyes observed the bloodstains on the carpet, most from her own battered torso. Her arms, legs and front shined dark crimson in the flashing lights. A staggered blood trail smeared the carpet, ending at her waist. She moved her tongue back to the centre of her mouth and composed herself.
This was her fault.
She brought him upstairs.
If they'd headed for the garage – as Dad had suggested – none of this would have happened.
Taking one final look at her dead brother, Dani breathed in, composed herself, and crawled into the hallway. Sweat broke out on her skin, dampening the dried blood there. The severed flesh stung, sending pin pricks of pain into her brain. She stopped and rolled onto her back, exhausted.
"Hello? Anyone here?" A voice in the house beckoned, full of authority.
"Here," her voice came out croaky. She cleared her throat. The newcomer heard it. "We have someone upstairs. Secure the room. Medics!"
Joy washed over Dani, followed by grief and absolute heartbreak. She began crying and sobbing. Seconds later, torchlight illuminated her bloody, broken body. " Here! "
One thing was clear.
Bradley was gone.
"Ma'am…I'm Detective Inspector Scott."
Dani looked up at the doorway. She now sat on Teddy's bed. Her shredded face cast pale in the flashlight that scanned the room. After a second, the new arrival turned on the lights, flooding the room with brightness. Dani flinched, covering her face. Scott took a step forward.
"What's your name, sweetheart?"
"Da…Dani."
"Dani, I'm Mr Scott…you can call me Jack, okay?
Scott walked into the room, his baton ready, and stopped. His eyes rested on the wardrobe and the massacre within. Teddy's legs were poking out from the doorway - his body face down. Jack glanced from the wardrobe, to Dani and her bloodstained clothing, and breathed out. His eyes settled on her face for the first time. He saw the wounds, the gashes in her skin, contrasting against her perfect complexion. It looked like she was smiling, a wide smile like a clown, only horribly visceral. Jack narrowed his eyes
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