Never Show Fear by Madeline Piper (ebook reader below 3000 txt) 📕

Screams of terror rips through the still night air jolting me from my restless slumber. I flick my eyes open and scan the now dusted room. It’s empty and still except for the glaring red light that flashes through the window. I swing my feet to the cold tiled floors and scurry towards the window. I pull open the blinds to witness a neighbor’s house across the street enveloped in fire. I gasp in horror as I notice the elderly woman that inhabits that house crawling her way to safety at the back.
Just then an explosion sounds and the house beside hers bursts into flames. A squeak escapes my lips as another house explodes, then another. It’s as if every house is on a set schedule to be demolished. I turn on my heels and run towards armor pulling on a tee-shirt, jeans and a pair of old converses. I run to my bed, drop to my knees and pull a small tote which contains emergency items. I hadn’t known at the time why my mother told me to pack one but I guess this was the time to figure out. Another explosion sounds as I grab the bag and run through my bedroom door heading down to the end of the hall. I push open the bedroom door to see my sister, Abigail balled up in the corner with her knees to her chest. Fear flashes in her ice blue eyes and a tears stream down her cheek. Once she sees me she scurries to her feet and runs into my arms.
“Bella, what’s happening?” She cries just as another explosion sounds. I squeeze my eyes shut as the house shook from the blow and I know we are running out of time.
I drop to my knees so that I can look her square in the eyes and I trail my fingers along her cheek, wiping her tears.
“Listen Abby, we have to leave now, okay? I need you to be strong and for you to trust me, understand?” My voice is harsh from the abrupt awakening I had nevertheless Abigail nods. “Good, now go get your shoes and Mr. Whiskers, we have to leave now.” She nods again before running to her bed to obtain her bunny teddy bear and the dainty bed slippers my mother had bought her. While she does this I run to the chest beneath her window and throw it open. It’s filled with all of her toys and it hurts me that she’ll never be able to use them again. I pull her tiny pink suit case from the chest and wheel it where she stands in the doorway. I take her soft small hand into mine and lead us down the stairs towards the garage. Just as I open the garage door the house beside ours explodes sending us both onto the floor. Tears stream my face as high pitched cries escapes her lips. I hate to be the cause of pain for her; she’s all I have left, I want it to stay that way.
I swallow back my emotions for her sake and proceed in crawling towards to car. Opening the passenger door I set her in and strap her tightly. I kiss her forehead for reassurance. I quickly throw the bags into the back seat before scurrying to the trunk. As I trail my fingers beneath the bumper for the spare key the sound of glass breaking upstairs sounds. A loud thud plays and I knew a grenade had been thrown in.
I knew it took at least four minutes for a bomb to ignite knowing that my father was an assassin. Which gave me hope that we might actually make it out alive. I speed my actions up as adrenaline flows through my veins. We can’t die today, I reassure myself. Hope is on my side as my fingers brush above the key. I hastily pull it out and stumble to the driver’s door. In a hurry I shove the key into the ignition and glance at Abigail who watches me wide eyed with a mixture of hope and fear.
I breathe in. “Hang on, love.” I say as I place the car into drive. The tires squeal as I dart from the garage, up the ramp and onto the street. My eyes and mind are set onto the street ahead that I barely hear Abigail’s cries. After a split second of exiting the danger of the house it explodes sending the car into an earthquake feeling. I floor the gas and speed down the street glancing into the rear view mirror at my now dissembled house. I will for a fact miss it. In the corner of my eye I notice a black van pulling from the suburbs alley way. I immediately know that they are the culprits.
My grip on the steering tightens knowing that there will be force in this encounter.
I sigh. “Abby, sweetheart, I need you to listen to me and do as I tell you, okay?” I glance at and she nods. It pains me to see her like this scared but that feeling has to be subsided now. I glimpse at the van, seeing it approach us steadily.
“I want you to lay your car seat all the way back. Close your eyes and hug Mr. Whiskers.” Obediently, she follows my order. The black van gains on us and I notice someone’s body hanging to window holding a gun. I jerk the car turning a sharp corner and the Porsche squeals in answer. It takes a moment for the van to regain its control and for the person to fire a bullet. It hits the side of the car making Abigail squeak. I have to do something other than pursuing with this car chase. A dead end comes into view as a few more bullets hit against the car. As the car approaches the end I swerve the steering wheel and the car whirls into the opposite direction and halts to a stop. The van is continues to head straight for us.
As they come closer I stomp onto the gas flying the car forward. Both vehicles speed towards each other like joust. The trees and empty valley are left behind us. The van finally realizing I am not backing out swerves to the side allowing me to speed by. Just as I was about to think that I made a clean get away a bullet pierces the tire. The sudden trauma throws the Porsche from the street and into the bushes, down a hill and into a tree. The force as the car hits the tree throws my head forward hitting the windshield. I plop back into the seat with a thud but the world around me begins to darken. I’m blacking out. The last thing I see and hear is Abigail being dragged through the broken window and her cries for me to rescue her. My eyes shut.

The sun is up, I can tell from the slits in the blindfold on my face. My mouth is gagged and my hands are bounded to the stakes of a chair. I have a brain pounding head ache from the blow of the windshield and the blood from the gash in my forehead trickles down my hair line. The room is high based on the atmosphere and I know the villains chose this place for a reason. I wouldn’t have an easy exit when I plan to escape. I smile at their attempt.
My mind suddenly wonders to Abigail and I wonder if she’s safe or alive. My heart rate increase as images of possibilities of what could be done to her flash through my mind. I tug against my restraints in panic and huff in frustration. Everything has gone wrong and I need to know the cause of this sudden up break.
Who would want to hurt my family? I can’t recall we doing anything to anyone.
Just then the creak of a door sounds on the east wall of my room. There’s my exit. I sigh and feign relaxation in my chair as two pairs of feet walk in. One of the pairs sounds like heavy duty boots while the other are the clicks of heels. As they run a chair across the wooden floors I began pulling my hands against the restraints. The sweat that has already formed on my body gives me smoother assistance. I hear the heels walk towards the chair and the person sits.
“Ungag her.” A woman’s voice says calmly. I can tell she’s done this ‘meeting’ thing before.
Her voice comes closer, “Now you listen here, missy. If you so much as scream I, personally will slit your throat. I will ask a question and you will answer. Simple as that, right?” She pauses.
“Right?” Her voice says more forcefully. I smile with delight but nod nevertheless. “Good. Ungag her, now.”
I feel the rough handling at my head as the person unknots the gag. I flex my jaw and lick my lips as it comes free.
“Where’s my sister?” I breathe, my voice cracked. I feel a grip in my hair as someone tugs my head back forcefully.
“I said not to speak out of turn, Ms. Monroe. But I suppose you deserve that much. Your sister is safe…for now.” I hear her bark. My headache increases as she says those words. I need desperately to get to Abby. I’m her only hope. “I need you to tell me your father’s bank pin.” I hear the woman say with a smile on her lips.
“That’s not a question.” I purr. Her hand slaps my face with a clap. It was so unexpected that I furiously work at the restraints some more. Her hand rests on my knee and caresses it with her thumb.
“Don’t make me ruin that pretty little face of yours, sweetie.”
“I don’t know it.” I lie. “Why do you care?”
I know exactly why she cares. Before my father left us he left my mother a million dollars to fend for the family. He told her that there was more where that came from so I know this entire situation is about money. But what I don’t know is why they need me when they can go get my mother?
“Let’s just say your father owes me. Now, are you going to continue to lie to me or am I going to have to use force.” The person tugs against my hair harder causing me to call out in pain.
“I don’t know it! Now, let me and my sister go you bitch!” I await another slap or even a tug but it never came. The woman begins to laugh hysterically. She laughs so hard that