Survival Instinct and the Lesser of Two Evils

Listening to the exchange between Faith and Julie, a surge of relief washed through Josh. He had observed the redhead stuff Julian into her panties and knew there was nothing he could do to help the slender man, but at least now there was some possibility he might escape the den of destruction now the gigantic girls were gone. He suspected there still might be other little persons trapped here in Julie’s abattoir but there was no way in the world he wanted to remain regardless of how many other tiny captives the girl might have scattered about the place. No, his instinct was simple. Get out.

Doing his best to support his injured side, he moved as quickly as he could to the door near the hinge side and getting down low. Sliding gingerly under the door, it sounded like footsteps emanating from the near the base of the stairs, but who’s he couldn’t tell. If it was Julie or Faith’s mother, he would be in an even bigger world of hurt.

Filled with panic, side screaming blue murder, he harbored no illusions he could make it down the span of hallway leading back to the safety of Faith’s room before whomever might be coming up the stairs arrived. There was however a slim chance he might make it across the hall to the girl’s mother’s room. Either way, there was no time for Josh to debate. Spurred on, he made his choice. Holding his side, he ran across the carpet toward the door leading into Mrs. May’s room. Each step, coupled with the increasing burn created by increased rate of respiration sent a wave of agony through his chest and up into his brain. Of singular purpose and filled with adrenalin, all he could focus on was the door. Reach the door. Get safe.

The pounding of approaching footsteps grew louder. Sacrificing his body he dove headfirst for the door like a runner stealing second base.

Lying under the bottom of the door, Josh clutched his side, teeth clenched. A shadow fell across the hall. He didn’t need to peek out to know it was Julie who was approaching, the redhead muttering under her breath. Had she caught him, he would wish he were dead.

Panting from both pain and exertion, he pulled himself out from under the door and into Faith’s mother’s room, leaning his back against the jamb and pausing to survey the neatly ordered space. With Julie returned to her room, he wrestled with the decision to make an attempt to run Faith’s room. Two things deterred him. The fiery sensation in his ribs and the difficulty to get a full breath and the fact he was afraid. He had seen what the brutal redhead was capable of. Immediately he thought of Julian and suspected he had seen the last of his companion. He only prayed the abrasive man’s death was at least merciful and swift though he was certain neither was true. At least there was no evidence of mangled and tortured little people in Mrs. May’s room.

“You there,” challenged a small female voice from atop the night stand next to the bed.

Grimacing, he craned his head to the side and looked up to top of the night stand to see a woman around his size staring down at him, hands on her hips.

His first inclination was to try and run, but his oxygen deprived legs refused to cooperate and he simply slid down the wall to sit on his butt. Whether he ran or not was irrelevant. He knew he was in trouble and by virtue of being spotted by the miniature woman he had probably gotten Faith into trouble as well.

“You shouldn’t be here!” asserted the tiny woman.

He didn’t bother to look up, instead raised his hand partway and waved dismissively at her.

In the back of his mind he could hear Julian’s voice telling him he should do what he needed to do, eliminate the witness. A wry smile touched his lips. Say what you will about Julian, asshole extraordinaire, the man knew how to survive.

Out of his periphery, he spotted sliding down the electric cord to the ground and lope over in his direction. She was of similar height to him, maybe a touch shorter.

“I said you aren’t allowed to be in here,” she stated, stepping in front of him.

“Yeah, I heard you the first time,” he wheezed, adding, “I’m Josh by the way.”

“I don’t care who you are,” she replied flatly.

“Listen lady, I just narrowly evaded death at the hands of that giant ginger fiend Julie, so why don’t you cut me some slack,” he explained.

The woman shook her head, “I don’t care,” she repeated, enunciating the words slowly and clearly.

“Whatever,” he said, shaking his head slightly, “I’ll just catch my breath and be on my way.”

Pushing his back against the wall, ribs gingerly cradled, it required considerable effort for him to get up to his feet. Beads of fresh perspiration dotted his brow.

“No,” the woman said, a determined look in her eyes as she came toward him, low and fast.

“What are you doing?” he half chuckled, surprised at the aggressive move.

She launched herself on him, slashing at him like a hellcat, hands moving furiously and battering him. He did his best to try and fend off her assault, but she was fast and he was injured. Dipping to the side, she curled her fingers into a fist and drove it straight into his injured side sending a haze of pain through his body. Doubling over, he couldn’t breathe, spots danced before his eyes and he wondered if a piece of rob might not have fractured a lung. Nimbly she circled around him, sliding a slender arm around his neck and cinching it tight in a chokehold. Already gobbling for air, he tried to dislodge her suffocating arm with his hands. Moment by moment he was growing weaker. She brought her legs up and locked them around his sides, tightening her arms, riding him to the ground. Blackness enveloped him.