Hell to Pay by M.A. McNease

Author:M.A. McNease
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MadeMark Publishing

THIRTY-NINE

THE BANGING ON THE DOOR drew her quickly out of the bathroom. She had convinced Jeremy to go to work, that she’d turned a corner with whatever this was and she would be okay. She’d promised to make an appointment with a therapist. He could go with her. They could even see the therapist together. It was just the strain of everything, the pressure. Things would all be back to normal soon, whatever that was.

“I just want to know you’ll be all right,” he’d said, kissing her goodbye in the kitchen.

“You can count on it,” she’d replied. Then she had gone to the window and waved as he pulled out of the driveway.

She’d just finished brushing her teeth when she heard a loud knock, then another, and finally banging.

“I’m coming!” she shouted, hurrying to the front door.

Eileen was standing outside. She did not have eggs with her this time.

“Your dog killed my chickens,” Eileen said angrily.

“I don’t understand,” Laurel said.

“It’s easy, Laurel. Your dog got out again, and this time it killed my chickens.”

Max is not an “it,” thought Laurel.

“That’s impossible,” she said.

Standing outside, furious, Eileen said, “Six chickens, all dead.”

“It must have been a fox. Or a raccoon, you told me once they were dangerous.”

Holding the door open, Laurel added, “Come in, for godsake, Eileen.”

“I will not.”

“Then come around back with me. I’ll show you ...”

Laurel stepped outside in her house slippers. She suddenly feared Max would not be inside the fence. “Please, Eileen, come with me,” she said, hurrying around the side of the house.

A few moments later she was at the fence with Eileen several feet behind her. Max began to run toward Laurel. Seeing Eileen, he stopped, lowered himself down into a lunging position, and growled at her.

“You see? He’s here. He didn’t kill your chickens. Why would you even think that?”

“He’s a vicious animal,” Eileen said. “I knew it from from the start. He has to go.”

Laurel turned to her, amazed at what she’d said.

“What does that mean?”

“It means the next time I come here I won’t be alone.”

“Oh, so you’re bringing backup, is that it? To do what? Take my dog?”

“He’s a danger to children.”

Laurel laughed, unable to stop herself.

“There are no children in Strickland! There aren’t any dogs, either. I wish I’d never seen this house, Eileen, I truly do.”

“It’s too late.”

The statement shocked Laurel.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing,” Eileen replied. She turned to leave.

“It’s too late for what?”

Thwack.

Echoing toward them from the woods. Eileen stared in the direction of the sound.

“Too late for what?” Laurel repeated.

Max ran to the side of the fence facing the tree line. He began barking loudly.

Eileen waved her away, dismissing Laurel’s question.

“I’m leaving this place!” Laurel called out as Eileen walked back around the house.

Eileen turned and said, “Don’t be so sure.”

Laurel watched her leave, dazed by the encounter.

Thwack.

Max stopped barking.

The sound did not come again.

Laurel hurried inside.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.