jumped me! Didn’t you see that? They jumped me.”
Ben turns to Grant and asks calmly, “Is everyone here?”
Hank’s eye catches Alison standing confused in the recess of the doorway to the kitchen. She is unnoticed. Ever so slightly, Hank indicates for her to step back. Bella sees her recede back into the kitchen.
With a raised voice, “You” indicating Grant, “I’m talking to you. Is everyone here?” Grant is too scared to speak. He manages a nod. Ben looks around. He wants to be sure. “Take your dinner seats. Everyone! Sit down in your chairs.”
Jimmy says, “Mom?” Hank and Bella exchange an understanding. She walks over and takes Alison’s seat.
“Right here, honey,” she says to Jimmy as she sits. Acknowledgment passes silently between everyone at the table. They all agree.
Ben looks at the table. Since originally a place had not been set for Bella there are ten seats - ten people. Everyone looks accounted for but Ben is a careful man. He nods at Gravel.
Gravel says, “I’ll check around.”
No one at the table moves. No one breathes. In silent pain, Dan holds his wrist. Julie hides her face in Ed’s chest. He has his hand on her head. Bruce and Grant look much younger than their twenty years right now. Hobbs’ eyes trail Gravel. Gravel heads for the kitchen and Hank swallows hard scared for Alison. He squeezes his son’s hand. It says be quiet, be calm.
From inside the kitchen, Alison sees Gravel approach. She tears across the kitchen and back into the bathroom closing the door. She has no breath. Her brain stutters. Shock. Think. Think. The rain pours like an open faucet onto the roof. It is loud and her gasping cannot be heard. She peeks out and sees Gravel opening the door to the food pantry. She turns and climbs onto the top of the tank of the toilet bowl. She slips her fingers under the tiny opening of the bathroom window and presses with all her strength trying to open the humidity swollen window. Her face goes red and her arms shake as she forces open the double-hung glass.
In the main room, Kent has taken off his coat and stands by the fire warming. Theo has grabbed the stew pot from the table and is eating in one of the armchairs. Ben stands, gun out, watching the table with a pleasant look on his face. Everyone at the table waits. They exchange glances tense with meaning, all hoping Alison is well hidden. She may be all they have.
From the kitchen, “Lookie what I found!”
“No, oh, no,” Hank drops his head and pain drenches his expression. Gravel pops his head out holding a box of Oreos.
Kent holds his hands up for the pass, “All right!” Gravel chucks the bag over to him and turns back into the kitchen.
Inside the tiny bathroom, Alison’s face is bright red and her teeth clenched as she pushes and pulls the window a few more inches. This is as far as it is going. This will be tight, maybe too tight. Shifting her weight, the toilet tank wobbles a little, she goes for it.
Gravel sees the wooden door to the bathroom. He walks over. He pulls his gun. Alison crawls out into the driving rain and reaches up to close the window. It comes part way down when the bathroom light flips on! She hits the mud and rolls up against the lodge wall lying on her side with her back flat against the building. Mud and water in her nose and mouth, she chokes but does not move. Gravel’s pasty and distorted face appears in the window. She can see the outline from his head where it blocks the light coming from inside. He peers into the dark. She senses. He’s directly above her. She closes her eyes and bites her lips. A moment. The light goes off in the bathroom. She lies there submerged in mud.
Gravel enters the main room and tells Ben, “Nothing.” Covert glances are exchanged at the table. At least there is someone out there who knows what’s happening.
Ben says, “So, okay, listen up. I don’t particularly want to kill any of you. My brother Gravel wants to kill all of you because that’s his nature.” Gravel grins and shrugs as though Ben has said something charming. Ben continues, “So we’ve got a delicate balance here. You folks need to behave so as not to upset that balance. Now, you…” he speaks to Hobbs, “this your place?”
“Yeah.”
“Where’s your