Fight For Your Life by Catherine Holland (e book reader online txt) 📕

her back inside.
The receptionist didn’t have a problem with them opening the doors that led off of the hall and onto the patio, Thea and Poppy re-entered the hall and saw Rashel dancing with Charlie, his short blond hair was spiky and his grey eyes looked silver whenever the light touched them; he stood at five foot nine inches tall and had a medium build.
They were dancing so exuberantly that the other dancers were moving out of the way for safety, Thea moved through the crowd and headed for the food table; she was stood in a corner of the room nibbling on apple slices. Poppy took the opportunity to escape up to her room and take out Thea and Rashel’s presents.
Poppy went back into the hall and saw Thea still on her own, she then spotted Sean at the bar buying two cokes and made a beeline for him, tapping him gently on the shoulder when she reached him. Sean turned around and smiled, “Hey Poppy, how are you?” Sean put the drinks down and took his change then cuddled Poppy and she returned the cuddle and replied.
“I’m fine thanks and yourself?” “Yeah I’m OK.” He replied, then sighed, “Have you seen Thea?” He asked, “Yes, she was stood by the food table.” Poppy replied, Sean thanked her then walked away with his cokes. Sean stood at five foot eight inches tall and his light brown hair was cropped short, he was of a medium build and his brown eyes had a sparkle to them.
Poppy moved to the edge of the hall and saw Sean offer one of the drinks to Thea, he then offered her his arm and they walked outside onto the patio. Poppy smiled to herself and then joined Rashel on the dance floor; Sean would be having Thea laughing in no time at all, he was very passionate about his friends, and many people would see that as a weakness but Sean didn’t care.
If everyone had a friend like Sean the world would be a better place. When a slow song started Poppy went and sat at one of the tables, Sean and Thea came back in both laughing and then started to dance. When the song was half way through, Poppy felt a light tap on her shoulder, she looked up and saw a pair of hazel eyes staring back at her.
“Jamie!” Poppy squealed and then threw her arms around him; he cuddled her back and then led her to the dance floor. His short black hair had been gelled and he stood at five foot seven inches tall with a medium build. The party continued on and everyone was having a good time, everything had worked flawlessly and all too soon it was time to open the presents.
When Thea and Rashel opened their presents from Poppy they gasped; inside the small box was a gold necklace with a pendant hanging from it; Thea’s pendant was a Topaz tiger and Rashel’s pendant had an Onyx wolf on it. The girls threw themselves at Poppy and then squeezing her tightly and gushing their thanks.
After having the necklaces placed around their necks they took the rest of the presents upstairs to their room and then returned to the hall and danced.


Chapter Two


Sharon was entertaining friends at home; the parents of her daughters’ friends were all their and drinking Margherita’s and telling stories of their children’s upbringings. A knock on the door interrupted the telling of a joke and Sharon stood up and answered the door, as the door opened Sharon saw a six foot two inch tall masculine man looking down at her.
“Hi, can I help you?” She asked, the man smiled; it was cold and empty and a shiver ran down her spine. “I’m looking for a-.” He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. “-Mrs Sharon and Miss Poppy Cosby.” He replied. “I’m Sharon and my daughter isn’t here, I’m entertaining some friends so what can I do for you?” Sharon asked. The man pulled a knife out of his jacket pocket and his steely brown eyes got harder, he pointed the knife at Sharon’s throat.
“Scream and I’ll gut you like a pig.” Every word he spoke was sincere and Sharon nodded and slowly moved backwards, his short curly black hair glistened wetly under the hallway light. After closing the front door he locked it and then rammed the knife through Sharon’s throat, he broke the handle off of the blade then kicked her against the wall.
With a loud thud Sharon hit the wall and then fell to the floor, a pool of blood already forming under her neck. The man pulled a 9mm gun from the back of his jeans and a silencer from his jacket pocket, he attached the silencer and moved silently into the living room; with the first six shots he killed all of the fathers and one of the mothers, while he replaced the silencer and magazine clip and kept his eyes on the remaining shell-shocked mothers.
All of that took just seconds, he then killed the remaining mothers and then searched the house; he found no trace of Poppy. The man then went back to the front door; he unlocked it and opened the door then went to his car and took out a full gas can, he poured the gasoline all over the living room and back out to the hallway, he then lit a match and threw it into the house as he was leaving.
The fire started instantly and spread rapidly, as the man shut the front door he took out the photo of Poppy and her friends he’d found upstairs and threw it on the grass where the glass smashed. He then got in his car and drove off.

* * * *

Back at the hotel the party had finished and the friends of Thea and Rashel had left, upstairs in their room the three girls sat talking. Poppy excused herself and tried to call her mom to wish her goodnight. After trying three times and only getting a dead tone Poppy grew worried.
She went back over to where Thea and Rashel sat, “What’s wrong Poppy?” Asked Thea, “I can’t get through to my mom, it just keeps giving me a dead tone.” Replied Poppy. “It’s probably nothing Poppy; she’s probably drunk by now or accidently unplugged the phone or something, don’t worry.” Said Rashel. Poppy nodded and tried to relax, but something deep down told her something was wrong. When the feeling wouldn’t go, Poppy went and knocked on the door of the room that the boys were sharing and when it opened Charlie was stood there.
“Hey Poppy, what can I do for you?” He asked, “Can I borrow Sean for a minute?” Poppy replied, trying to keep her voice light. Sean came to the door and stepped into the hallway closing the door behind him, “What’s wrong Poppy?” He asked, “This may sound silly but, I’ve tried calling my mom, but I just keep getting a dead tone.”
Sean thought for a moment, “Come on, I’m sure the receptionist will let you use the phone, and Poppy? It isn’t silly.” Poppy nodded and followed Sean downstairs, the receptionist agreed to let Poppy use the phone, but the line was still dead; the receptionist came back and shook his head. “Still no luck?” He asked. “No.” Replied Poppy.
“Is something wrong?” Sean as ked the receptionist, he hesitated then said; “There’s been a breaking news announcement on the television tonight, apparently some house on Goddard Street was burnt down.” Poppy froze, “Goddard Street? Are you sure?” The receptionist looked at her and replied, “If you don’t believe me then look for yourself.”
He then picked up a remote and pointed it at a small television mounted on the wall, sure enough there it was; the house was just starting to crumble due to the heat of the flames. Poppy’s legs gave out from beneath her, and tears were rolling silently down her face. Sean stared frozen at the television and then glanced at Poppy; she was leant up against the wood of the desk.
Sean tried to force a reaction out of Poppy; the receptionist was frantically apologising for traumatising them, but Sean paid no attention to him. When Poppy suddenly screaming Sean’s eyes returned to the television; black bags were being removed from the smouldering house. There were too many to count, Sean looked up at the receptionist, “Turn the damn thing off will you?”
The receptionist hastily obliged and then helped Sean get Poppy to her feet; the last words that Poppy heard before the set was switched off, was a police Detective appearing on the screen, he was easily six feet tall and big built with short ginger hair and deep blue eyes. “This is a tragedy, we don’t yet know who the victims are, but anyone with information regarding tonight’s incident then please call the number below.” The receptionist helped half-carry, half-drag Poppy into the large bar area and deposit her in a chair, where she was now openly crying. Sean tried to comfort her but when she said “They’re dead! They’re all dead!” Sean froze, in a shaky voice he said; “I think you’d better call that number from the television and call down our friends.” The receptionist nodded and was glad to move away from the shaken and crying teenagers.
When the others came downstairs Sean showed them the news then led them to Poppy. Thea and Rashel were crying, Jamie and Charlie had faces like stone but they still couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down their cheeks, and Sean was trying to keep his composure but failed. The receptionist came into the large bar area a few minutes later with six steaming mugs of hot chocolate, sugar, milk and biscuits on a tray.
Sean thanked him and then forced a mug of hot chocolate into Poppy’s shaking hands. Charlie and Jamie were trying to comfort Thea and Rashel as well as themselves with little success; Sean wasn’t having much luck with Poppy. “Listen Poppy, it may be the wrong house, the houses down your street all look the same.” “I know it’s my house Sean, I used to climb that willow tree when I was little.” Poppy replied in an uneven voice.
Sean fell silent and continued to hold Poppy close, the six friends were in a state of shock, if Poppy was right about it being her house; which Thea and Rashel knew she was, it meant that all of their parents were dead. Fifteen minutes later the receptionist entered the bar area followed by two men, Poppy and Sean recognised one of the men from the television. “My name is Detective Markus Powell, and this is my partner Detective John Saunders.”
John Saunders stood at six foot one inch tall, he had short ashy blond hair and deep blue eyes, and he was well built. “We understand that you have information regarding the fire tonight?” John asked. Poppy nodded “I do, that’s my house.” Markus and John sat on a sofa opposite Sean and Poppy. “Are you sure Miss?” Markus asked.
“Yes I’m sure, my address is thirty-five Goddard Street.” Poppy replied, and the Detectives looked at each other, “Can you tell us who else may have been in the house tonight?” “All of our parents.” Replied Sean, the