Angel's Call Ch. 09-10

Anna woke up shouting and Chris ran back to the living room. Angela had started crying, too. Deciding that she could be hungry, Chris gave her to Anna and sat next to her. Anna was disoriented. She had had a dream about Stephen knocking on Chris's door. She tried to tell him about it but she was having difficulty breathing. Chris sat by her side and seeing it as an opportunity to explain his plan he started.

"Just breathe, ok. Deeply. Once more. Good. Now, look, I don't want to alarm you more than you already are but there is a possibility that he knows this place, too. If he has followed you, he must have seen that I was paying visits. Please don't cry. I have to stay here for two weeks more. It's something I owe to my students. Mrs. Sanders is arranging a constant patrol with Mark until we go. Then we will be going somewhere remote and peaceful for the summer. Mrs. Sanders is also coming. I repeat again, I'm not going to leave you alone in any way, Anna."

Anna looked down at her shaking hand, tried to stop crying and asked, "I can't stop them from shaking. Can you hold my hands?" between her sobs.

Chris took Angela back to her chair, held Anna's trembling hands in both of his hands. She sighed and calmed down.

"Thank you."

"You'll always be welcome. You didn't make any comments on my plan."

"What can I say? You've thought about it. Although I hate to lose the control of my life, there is no alternative right now. I wish we could go sooner."

Getting her consent on the subject, Chris let the breath he held go. He felt like jumping in the air even though the danger hadn't passed.

"I thank you for giving me a chance to help you. I'll get the guest room ready for you."

That night a police patrol started to wait in front of the house. The next day at lunch break Chris went to Anna's house to estimate what had to be done and get some clothing and stuff for Anna and Angela.

Mrs. Sanders was more comfortable with Chris being around all the time. She had missed his companionship and the games they played at nights. Being around Anna again had helped his mood better than anything she had tried with the help of Mark. Anna was more social, even played some of the games with them but she still avoided direct contact with Chris if possible and she never went out of the house, not even to the balcony. Angela was just as content as a baby can be among people who loved her. Her special bond with Chris was visible; she was always peaceful and happy when he was around. Chris in return didn't leave the room without kissing her goodbye, played endlessly with her, sang lullabies, rocked her; he even bought and read some books on babies.

They spent the weekend indoors although the weather was fine. None of them admitted it but they were all afraid and trying to avoid another encounter with Stephen. Mark dropped by for a visit and said that they'd identified the fingerprints' owner who was a certain Theodore March. He obviously had lied about his identity. He had been working in an office close to Anna's but was fired due to misbehaving around the time he decided to get rid of Anna. He had moved out of the house he rented a month ago. Mark asked Anna to go over and look if she could remember it was the house she was kept in. Anna's face went pale and collapsed down on the sofa on hearing about it. Chris told the sergeant that he'll take her after he could convince her.

The visit was painful. It was the first time Anna was out of Chris's house since the break in to her house. She was nervous, always checked around, and held Mrs. Sanders's hand like she held a lifeline. Chris spoke to her softly about the weather, news, Angela, anything to get her mind off the subject but it didn't help much.

They met Sergeant Young in front of Stephen's house. Anna looked at the house with curious eyes. It was the first time she had seen it from outside. It was a one floor detached house with a large untended garden and the street in the front didn't have much traffic on it. There was a garage for one car on the left side. Anna reluctantly stepped inside and went around the house without saying a word until she came to a room adjacent to the garage.

"This was it. He held me in there."

"I am glad we are making some progress. We'll find this man, Anna."

Anna took another look towards the room, felt her vision blur and turned back.

"Chris, please take me out of here. I feel bad." And she fainted on the floor. Chris immediately handed Angela to Mrs. Sanders and sat down next to her.

"Anna, please be strong. I am taking you out at once. Please open your eyes. Are you hurt?"

Anna only moaned and didn't open her eyes until they went outside and Chris lay her at the back of his car. He splashed some water on her face and checked if she was hurt. There would be a bruise on her forehead which seemed to be getting pinkish brown already on her white skin.

"Come on, I'll take you to a hospital. Sorry you had to go through this again."

A weak, "no hospital" answer came from Anna which relieved everyone.

Thanks a lot for your nice comments, I'll try to post the next chapter soon.

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