Chapter 7
The man in a three-piece suit fidgeted in his seat and tugged at his collar. In the background, lights twinkling in an array of colors on a Christmas tree. “Take the damn picture, already.”
The woman beside him smiled at him warmly. “Manny, just a few more minutes and then you can change out of that suit. I promise.”
Manny rolled his eyes. A girl and boy sat arguing at the couple’s feet.
The girl screamed, “Give it back.”
The boy held the doll out of her reach.
“Harlon give it back and tell Suzie you’re sorry,” the woman chided.
I turned my attention to Harlon. The scar hadn’t happened yet.
“Why should I have to apologize? She killed my fish.”
“It was an accident. I was just trying to help you feed it.”
Harlon crossed his arms over his chest.
“Okay, if you all will look up here and smile.”
“Smile, kids, or I’ll tell Santa to skip this damn house.”
Everyone in the picture smiled but not in that happy way, more like the I’m-afraid-I’ll-get-my-ass-beat kind of way.
My heart rate quickened, and the room started to spin. The Christmas lights brightened, blurring like a kaleidoscope in my vision.
I yanked my hand free to find myself still in my kitchen, blinking rapidly until everything came back into focus.
Harlon was staring at me. A range of emotions crossed his face before he barked out, “Why the hell did you stop?”
“Something’s wrong,” I whispered as I struggled to stand on my wet-noodle legs. My eyes rolled, and that was the last thing I remembered as I was sucked into the darkness.
****
I was floating on air. My stomach dropped and rolled as I snuggled into the blanket covering my body. I hadn’t been this relaxed in…forever.
“We’ve got bad weather up ahead so please watch the seatbelt signs as you move around the cabin.” An unfamiliar voice penetrated my thoughts.
My eyes flew open, and my heart raced. I was on a bed, but it wasn’t mine. A TV hung in the corner, and I turned toward the oval window as clouds hovered beyond the glass.
I jerked upright and got a little dizzy as I stared out the window. My heart stopped for a split second. That was all the time it needed. I clutched the covers hard and pressed my back to the wall.
“This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.” Fear slithered down my spine as every single muscle in my body tensed up.
The door opened, and Harlon stood on the threshold, holding on to the door frame. “You’re awake.”
I inhaled a deep breath. “You kidnapped me.”
“I didn’t want to waste time.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, almost forgetting my predicament.
“You kidnapped me and put me on a damn plane.” My voice rose an octave just as the plane dipped. I yanked the covers tighter, struggling to breathe.
Harlon’s eyes widened as he climbed onto the bed. He grabbed a motion sickness bag and opened it. “Just breathe, Nina. You’ll be fine. Just breathe.”
