arms and legs wrapped around him. He bit
tried to run.
Dad tackled him, pinning him to the ground,
his arms and legs wrapped around him. He bit
down hard on the attacker’s ear.
The attacker shrieked. A strange sense of
satisfaction washed over me. He wasn’t
invincible.
The attacker grabbed a rusty nail–studded
board and brought it down hard on Dad’s
back, grinding it into the wound. Blood
soaked Dad’s shirt.
Dad’s body trembled, but he didn’t let go. He
tore off a chunk of the attacker’s ear.
The attacker howled and stabbed Dad
repeatedly with the rusty nail. Dad’s face
<
went pale. The attacker wrenched himself free, but Dad grabbed his ankle, refusing to
let go.
I heard him whisper my name. ““Ashley…“”
Tears streamed down my face. The love I’d
craved for eight years…too late.
The attacker got away.
Miller and his team arrived. They tried to help
Dad up, but he pointed a shaking finger
towards the fleeing figure. ““Get him! Don’t
worry about me!“”
Miller threw his jacket over Dad and raced
after the attacker.
Dad looked at Chloe, his voice gentle. ““Are
you alright, sweetheart?“”
Chloe’s eyes, red and swollen, were filled with
hatred. ““Ashley’s…dead…isn’t she? That
man…he was telling the truth…“”
Dad’s face went ashen. His silence confirmed
her fears. Chloe exploded.
