Chapter 1 - THE STABLE IN THE DARKThe old horse stable behind the Mitchell farmhouse had not held a horse in years.
That night, it held a mother and her four terrified daughters.
Sarah Mitchell sat on the cold wooden floor with her back against a stack of hay bales. Her faded beige sweater was covered with dust. Strands of long brown hair had fallen loose around her exhausted face.
Two-year-old Ava slept fitfully in her arms.
Mia, only four, clung to Sarah’s sleeve with both hands. Her yellow sweater looked strangely bright in the dim room.
Six-year-old Lily sat pressed against her mother’s side, silent and pale in her blue sweater.
Emma, the oldest at eight, stayed nearest the wooden door.
Her faded pink sweater offered little protection from the cold, but she refused to complain. She used one sleeve to wipe the tears from Mia’s cheeks.
“It’s okay,” Emma whispered. “Mommy is here.”
Sarah forced herself to smile.
“Mommy won’t let you be afraid.”
The words sounded stronger than she felt.
A single lantern burned on a small wooden crate. Its weak flame cast long shadows across the stable walls.
Outside, wind moved through the bare branches beside the farmhouse.
Then came the crunch of boots on gravel.
All four girls became still.
Sarah tightened her arms around Ava.
Emma turned toward the door.
The footsteps were slow and uneven.
Robert.
Sarah had known him for fourteen years. She could recognize his walk even when he was sober.
Tonight, he was not.
A glass bottle struck the wooden fence outside with a dull tap.
Mia buried her face against Sarah.
“Is Daddy coming back?” she whispered.
Sarah placed a finger against her lips.
Robert’s shadow passed across the narrow opening beside the door.
He stopped.
For several seconds, there was no sound except Ava’s quiet breathing.
Then the door handle moved.
Once.
Twice.
The heavy door did not open.
Sarah had pushed an old iron hook through the inside latch, but she knew it would not hold if Robert used his full strength.
“Sarah,” he called.
His voice was low.
Too calm.
Sarah did not answer.
Robert tried the handle again.
“I know you’re in there.”
Emma crawled backward from the door.
Sarah reached for her and pulled her close.
Robert laughed softly.
The sound was worse than shouting.
“You always make everything difficult.”
He dragged something metal across the outside of the door.
Sarah’s face changed.
Emma saw it.
“What is he doing?” she whispered.
Sarah did not respond.
The metal scraped again.
Then there was a solid click.
Robert had lowered the exterior bolt.
Even if Sarah removed the hook, they could no longer get out.
Robert’s face appeared through the small opening in the door.
His dark hair was unkempt. His eyes were heavy from alcohol. In one hand, he held the half-empty bottle.
He stared at his wife and daughters as if they were strangers occupying his property.
“Four girls,” he muttered.
His gaze moved from Emma to Lily, then to Mia and Ava.
“Four mouths. Four problems.”
Sarah rose to her knees.
“They’re your children.”
“They are expenses.”
Emma felt Sarah’s hand trembling.
Robert lifted the bottle and took another drink.
“How long do you expect me to keep doing this?”
Sarah looked directly at him.
“Until morning,” she said quietly. “You’ll be sober then. We can talk.”
Robert’s cold expression did not change.
“You won’t be here in the morning.”
Sarah’s breath caught.
“What does that mean?”
But Robert had already stepped away.
His boots moved toward the farmhouse.
A moment later, every exterior light went dark.
Only the small lantern remained.
Emma looked up at her mother.
“Where are we going in the morning?”
Sarah glanced toward the lantern, then toward the locked door.
May you like
When she answered, her voice was barely audible.
“I don’t think he plans to let us leave.”
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