takeout containers. I still don’t see anyone, so I continue around the side of the house. Voices from inside drift out through the old, grimy windows.
“…sure you have to go right away? I insist, stay for a quick cup of cocoa,” Mr. Coleman says. “It’ll warm you up from the chill.”
Only part of their conversation is audible as I strain my ears, crouched beneath a window.
“…supposed to get back, but…”
“Don’t be silly,” he says, closer to the window. I hold my breath. “There’s no rush, right?” There’s a slight pause, then, “That’s the holiday spirit. Never too much cocoa. I’ll put on some music, too.”
She must have agreed. I shift around, but in the fading light I misjudge the distance between my hip and the recycling cans near the window, accidentally knocking into one.
“Crap, crap, crap,” I hiss, steadying them before they make too much noise. Hopefully Mr. Coleman didn’t hear that. Or if he did, writes it off as a wild animal.
Holiday music starts playing. I try to peek in another window to see if I can gesture to the girl to warn her off, but it’s too dark inside to see anything. Why aren’t any of the lights on?
I skirt around to the back door to see if I can hear better. Before I reach the handle, a hand covers my mouth as I’m grabbed.
“Mmph!”
Lips press against my ear, making my skin crawl when I hear Mr. Coleman’s husky voice. “You came, princess. I thought that was your little blue car in my mirror. Following me, sneaking around out here playing naughty games? Well, if you insist. I’ll have to punish you later.”
White-hot panic rushes up my spine. I kick and thrash, but he’s strong. I try to scream, but his hand muffles it.
When did he come outside? Oh god, this can’t be happening!
“Ah, ah. You came to me. I’m your knight, princess. Stop fighting it.” His demeanor has changed from earlier, bordering on manic. “I’ve been waiting for you. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long—every day in class. Having you chase me at the market was so thrilling. I knew you must have realized it and couldn’t stay away any longer.” He presses his nose into my hair as I struggle. “But you’re making this hard for me by misbehaving.”
I’m your knight, princess.
No.
No fucking way.
He’s spouting words he’s typed to me a hundred times over. A sickening sensation travels through my body.
This is worse than every nightmare I’ve ever had come to life.
Mr. Coleman keeps my arms pinned tight. I’m too short to crack my skull back into his. I try to bite him, to yell, but he squeezes my face hard enough to hurt.
Everything in my body screams in protest at his harsh grip. I feel violated all over again, worse this time with his hands all over me. His breath is hot on the back of my neck as he grunts against my frantic flailing.
No!
Escaping his hold is impossible, but I manage to worm my fingers into my coat pocket. They slip on the smooth handle of the all-in-one tool. My chest caves with a desperate, smothered cry.
Please, please.
When I have it, I release a wild sound, swinging as hard as I can with limited motion. Mr. Coleman grunts as I catch him in the leg with the hard tip meant for breaking glass. But it doesn’t work for him to release me like I wanted. I didn’t strike hard enough.
He wrenches the tool from my grasp and throws it aside in the dead grass. That was my only weapon against him!
“Mmph! Mmmph!” My protests come out as muffled grunts.
His voice is a low growl in my ear as he lifts me from the ground. “You’ll behave, pet. I don’t want to punish you too harshly, but I will.”
Terror spears through my body as he crushes me against the back door, covering my back to pin me there. My nostrils flare with each panicked, labored breath.
He has me inside before I can fight him off. I try to scream again, to warn the sophomore girl, but with his hand over my mouth and holiday music playing, I go unheard.
My pulse races as he shoves me through another door, then down a short flight of steps into a basement off the kitchen. I squirm to reach for something I can use against him. Anything to stun him long enough to escape.
My feet jar as he drops me back to the ground, sending me stumbling