@adlerthetattler | continued from (xx)
Will had never been a heavy sleeper. When Lacey was roused from their bed, he shifted slightly, still groggy from repose, before rolling over in an attempt at getting more rest. He assumed she was merely getting a drink of water. More often than not, Ava woke Lacey up in the middle of the night. He presumed that this was one of those times.
But after a few minutes of attempting to drift back off to sleep, Skittles’ sharp, ferocious barks immediately rocketed him up from the mattress. Lacey...
Had she fallen? The dogs were often protective, so sometimes a mere slip-up could cause them to bark and carry on. But no -- this was different. There was venom in the dog’s bark, and, with his heart in his throat, Will rolled out of bed and went staggering for the closet. His shotgun was safely tucked away inside. Lacey had often suggested he get rid of it in case Elijah got into the closet, but in this moment, Will was glad he’d ignored her warning.
After making sure that the shotgun was loaded, he crept through the hallway and began angling down the stairs. Or at least, he had been intent on stealth until he heard Lacey’s screams.
Rushing down the staircase without further hesitation, Will swung his shotgun in the direction of the shadowed figure and fired. Lacey was already on the floor, hunkered over, so he knew she wouldn’t be caught in the crossfire. The man remain upright, so again Will fired -- then again, his blood pumping with rage and adrenaline since he knew exactly who had to have dispatched this invader.
Flicking on the light, he took in the sight of the man sprawled across the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood as Lacey cowered on the floor.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Elijah screamed then, sharp and piercing, and understandably, Lacey was up like a shot. He moved to intervene, but she’d already gone racing for their son’s bedroom.
That was when the assailant groaned. He was still alive.
Expression cold and biting, Will approached and slammed the brunt of his heel down between the man’s shoulder blades, causing him to cry out in pain. “I’ll be back for you,” he warned.
After gathering up some rope from the hall closet, he returned with sharp, merciless eyes. By this point, the man was whimpering.
“Please,” he begged, “I need an ambulance...”
“Perhaps you should’ve thought of that before you accosted my wife,” Will hissed. Getting down on bended knee, he yanked the man’s arms behind his back and began securing his wrists with rope. Lacey called to him then, and his vengeful fog was only minorly lifted.
“Yes,” he called back over his shoulder, “he was the only one. You should stay with Eli.”
Panicked, the assailant decided to lift his voice. “Please call for help!” he begged. “I promise, I’ll never come here again! I didn’t even want to come!”
Will took the brunt of his shotgun and struck the back of his head, silencing him for the time being.
