Tied By Fear: Chapter 2

“Dakota Hunter!”  Dakota’s mom yelled.

 Dakota was in her room upstairs, writing down some of her favorite verses before she left for school.  “Yeah?!”  She yelled down to her mom, continuing her work.

 “Come here!”  Her mom demanded.

 Dakota sighed, “Just a second mom! I’m writing something.”

  She went back to writing down her verses on an index card.  Though I walk through through the valley of the Shadow of Death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me- “Dakota Hunter!  Now!”  Her mom yelled in a very strict voice.

 She sighed, and dropped her pencil onto the desk, where more garbage sat.  She opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, then galloped down the stairs.  At the bottom, she swung around the railing coming into the living room and continuing to the kitchen.  There was a sweet aroma of cinnamon, in the dirtied kitchen  and the sound of clattering pots and pans.  Dakota looked, and found her mom bent over looking in a cabinet, her moms black hair was in a ponytail and falling out.  “Mom, what’d you want?”  She asked annoyed, while glancing into the oven.

 Dakota smiled, Mmm, cinnamon rolls.  Cinnamon rolls were her favorite dessert, and her mom made best cinnamon rolls in the town, no make that state.  Her mom stood up and glanced at Dakota, immediately she shut the oven door and changed her attitude.  “What’d you want?”  She asked again, much more pleasant this time.

 “I need you to take the garbage out.”  Her mom instructed.

 That is it?!  Dakota was about to voice her thoughts when her mom brought out a bowl of cream cheese frosting from the refrigerator, reminding her of the cinnamon rolls baking beside her.  “Okay.”

 Before Dakota could turn around and leave, her mom grabbed her fiercely and gave her a hug.  Dakota’s breath caught in her throat, “Mom, I… can’t breath!”  She gasped out.

 Her mom let her go, “Sorry.”

 Dakota studied her moms sterling grey eyes, they seemed gloomy, “Mom, I’m just taking the garbage out.”  She reminded her.

 Her moms eyes grew misty, “I know.”

She gave another bear like hug to her, then let go and went back to making cinnamon rolls.  Strange.  She turned and maneuvered around the dog sleeping on the living room floor, to the front door.   Dakota opened the door and stepped outside.  She stopped and breathed in the fresh damp air, she heard the creaking sound of old boards under her feet.  It was foggy and calm, and she heard the sound of dogs barking ferociously.  She stepped off the rotting porch, and slowly progressed to the garbage can in front of the house.

 As she rolled the garbage can down to the sidewalk, she attempted to remind herself of her favorite verse, And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  She let go of the garbage can, letting it crash to the pavement.  She turned back around and headed for the porch.  Placing her foot on the porch steps, she looked to her left and saw the silhouette of a man down an alley beside her house.  Out of curiosity, Dakota advanced toward the dark alley, and studied the silhouette.  The man looked to be as tall as Dakota, five feet and eleven inches.  

  She continued closer to the man, she could see now he was wearing all black.  Turn back around now, Dakota.  NOW!  Despite her commanding thoughts, she continued, Dakota felt for her pocketknife in case of emergency, Yep, still here. Dakota suddenly heard barking from behind her, she jumped in fright, and turned around.  It was her neighbors Yorkshire terrier, Hershey.  Dakota gave an exasperated breath, and turned back around.  The man was gone.  

  Dakota became even more curious, he had just disappeared without a sound.  She continued forward to where the man had been, and cautiously glanced around for him.  She stared forward, and looked at a black Nissan, with two men on each side of it.  Dakota spun around and ran back toward the house, this cannot be good.  In an instant, she felt someone wrap their arm around her waist, and put another hand over her mouth.

 She immediately thought of her dads training, she squatted down and elbowed the man in the stomach with all her strength.  The man let his hold go and collapsed to the ground, Dakota started for the house.  She ran up the porch, and inside.   She locked the door, “Mom!!  Where are you?!”  She yelled.  

 No answer, Dakota ran up the stairs and into her room.  She heard the sound of a window breaking, down in the living room.  Dakota snatched up her phone, and flipped it open, she expected the screen to light up but nothing happened.  Great.  She thought.  Dakota threw the phone on her bed.  She ran to the bathroom, and searched for her flat iron.  She found the it and stood up, ready to strike if she had to.  She heard the stomping of men bolting up the stairs.  

  Her mind went blank when she saw a flash of black in the hall.  Dakota closed her eyes, and asked for serene peace from Jesus.  Immediately, she thought of the verse she had been writing earlier, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.  Dakota sighed, but before she could do anything else, someone covered a soaked cloth over her nose and mouth.  She gasped in shock, and everything slowly began, then turned black.

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