Megan's Way by Melissa Foster Read Free Book Online Page A

thumb deeper into the man’s eye socket. Blood
spurted and oozed across her hand and arm. The man flailed between
pushing her off his body and grabbing at his eye.
    Olivia broke free of her fear, scanned the
ground for a weapon. She picked up a heavy rock and smashed it into
the back of the man’s head. He rocked forward, and she drove it
into his head again, harder. Megan fell to the ground. The man
stumbled. His head spewed blood onto his shirt, and his eye was no
longer visible.
    Megan lay on the ground. Her body ached. She
screamed, “Run, Livi! Run! Run!”
    Olivia grabbed her mother’s frail arm and
yanked her to her feet. Together they ran back through the woods
and down the path, tripping and holding onto each other. Megan shot
a backward glance and found the abductor’s hands over his face,
blood covering his head like a gruesome mask. His screams of
torment filled the night.
    When they reached the car, Megan’s relief was
overshadowed by her panic, as she realized she didn’t have her car
keys. With much struggling, she forced Olivia into the car, and
demanded her to lock the doors. Olivia’s body wracked with sobs and
trembled with such force that her teeth chattered.
    Olivia screamed, “No!” several times, but her
mother ran back up the path to find her keys.
    When she neared the water tower, the man was
no where in sight. She dropped to the ground by the bush and felt
around the rocks and dirt. She saw a twinkle of light about ten
feet in front of her and dashed for the keys, which were splattered
with fresh blood. Without hesitation, she spun around, pushed past
the pain of what felt like a broken rib, blocked out the stinging
of the cold air in her lungs, and rushed toward the car, praying
Olivia was safe. She looked behind her several times but didn’t see
the man.
    She reached the car, out of breath, and
trembling so badly she feared not being able to remain erect.
Olivia was nowhere in sight.
    “Olivia!” she screamed, running from door to
door, all of them locked. She screamed again, “Olivia!”
    Olivia peered out from under the dashboard,
saw her mother, and reached up to unlock the door. Megan scrambled
into the car and locked the doors, shoving the keys in the ignition
and pitching the car into reverse. She spun out and fishtailed onto
the dirt road, nearly hitting the side of a van as she raced onto
the highway. She could not find her voice. Her hands felt glued to
the steering wheel, her foot to the pedal.
    Olivia remained on the floor, huddled in a
ball and sobbing.
    Twelve minutes later, Megan pulled into the
police station and eyed the brick building, illuminated like a
Christmas tree. A sense of safety blanketed her. She turned to
Olivia, her arms outstretched.
    “I’m sorry, Mom!” Olivia cried. Her body
trembled. Her words rushed out like a waterfall, fast and hard.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
    Megan’s tears fell, salty and warm, onto her
own lips, “Livi, it’s okay. It’s okay. I’m here. Are you okay?” She
held her tight.
    Olivia nodded. Her face was swollen and red.
“I’m so sorry, Mom. I thought he was someone else.”
    “I know, honey. I know.” Megan said.
“Whatever happened out there, whatever brought you there, Olivia,
it’s not your fault.” It’s mine , Megan thought. She scanned
her daughter’s young body. Seeing no gashes or obvious injuries,
she breathed a little easier. “Did he…hurt you?” Megan braced
herself for the answer.
    Olivia looked down at her lap, tears fell
unabashedly. “My back against the tree…my arms,” the words emerged
with difficulty as shock began to take over. She wrapped her arms
around herself and sobbed, shivering.
    Megan held her, willing away the tears and
thanking god she was there. When Olivia’s sobs lessened, Megan
whispered, “We have to tell the police.”
    “But they’ll think I’m awful! They’ll think
I’m a slut!”
    Olivia buried her face in her mother’s
shirt.
    Megan stroked Olivia’s