Chapter 4 - Footsteps on the Porch
Mark threw the duffel bag over his shoulder and grabbed his car keys, but Evelyn shook her head.
"Your car has a GPS tracker," she warned. "We take the woods."
Heavy footsteps thumped onto the front porch, followed by the metallic scratching of a lock pick.
Mark led Evelyn and Lily through the laundry room, carefully unlocking the back door.
The cool night air hit them as they slipped into the dense treeline bordering their suburban backyard.
A loud crash echoed from the house—the front door being kicked open.
"Spread out, find the ledger!" a gruff voice barked from inside. "If the husband is here, end him."
Mark covered Lily's mouth gently, pulling his family deeper into the shadows of the oak trees.
They scrambled over damp leaves and fallen branches, Evelyn struggling to keep up with her weakened muscles.
Mark draped Evelyn's arm over his shoulder, half-carrying her as they navigated the dark woods.
"Where are we going?" Mark whispered, his heart hammering against his ribs.
"Route 9," Evelyn replied, gasping for breath. "There's a diner. We can steal a car."
They hiked for agonizing minutes, the flashlight beams of Arthur's men cutting through the trees behind them like searchlights.
Lily was remarkably quiet, burying her face into Mark’s neck, terrified of the loud voices.
Finally, the glowing neon sign of 'Rusty's Diner' bled through the tree branches ahead.
An old, beat-up pickup truck sat idling near the dumpsters, its driver inside the diner grabbing a coffee.
"I'm sorry," Mark muttered to no one in particular as he opened the truck's unlocked door.
May you like
He loaded Evelyn and Lily into the bench seat and slid behind the wheel.
Throwing it into drive, Mark peeled out of the parking lot with the headlights off, disappearing into the rural highway.
