Returning Home

Chapter 1
         "Damn keys," Kara said as she bent down to pick them up off the porch.
         Being late was not one of her normal personality traits, but a blown tire, an interstate pileup, and a monsoon rainstorm had combined to put her arrival at her parents house from late afternoon to almost midnight. Trying to get into the house using car lights was not working.
         "The back door is unlocked," a man spoke from behind her and as she screamed, she dropped to the porch and reached inside her should bag.
         Kara's heart raced, but her head remained focused on her handbag. "Not again," she thought, as she felt the grip of her .45 slip into her hand. The streets of Camdon rolled up at dark, and no one should have been expecting her. She had not told anyone she was returning to the town she had abruptly left after high school.
         "Miss, are you ok?", the man ran from the dark into the headlights of her car. He stopped suddenly as the red dot of a lazer hit him mid-chest and didn't waver.
         Kara had shifted her position from laying on the porch to sitting in the corner of the door, the gun was ready. All he needed to do was take one more step. "Back off or I will back you off," she sounded more confident than she felt.
         "Ok, lady," the man's hands were up in the air and he had backed himself up against her car.
         "Who are you?" she asked, her finger had the trigger ready to pull.
         "Deputy Jason Carlson, Camdon Police Department," he replied, starting to move his hand toward the back pocket of his jeans.
         "Don't move! I'm calling 9-1-1!" Kara ordered as she slowly slid closer to her bag. Her cellphone was in there and she could call the real police.
         The man kept his arms in the air and stood statue still. Kara was only able to see a silhouette and the red dot. All she needed was the red dot to stay center mass. Reaching for her bag with one hand, while she kept her eyes and gun trained on the man, Kara watched in slow motion as the man made an effort to jump her. The shot rang out and the man went down screaming obscenities about being shot.
         "You shot me!", the man yelled over and over.
         Kara dialed 9-1-1 and started talking to the dispatcher.
         "Is there a Jason Carlson in the police department?" she asked, weapon still trained on the man laying on the ground.
         "Now what has he done?" the lady on the emergency end of the line asked.
         "He needs an ambulance. He has a 45 caliber hole in his leg. He is cussing and screaming so I am sure he will live."
         "Where do I send the ambulance?" the woman was serious, but there was exasperation in her voice.
         "The old Atwood place," Kara replied. "He is laying in the front yard with my Smith&Wesson pointed at him. I don't know if he is who he says he is so if someone could send the Sheriff to the house, it would be helpful."
         "Kara?" The woman asked whispering. "Kara, is that you?"
         "Yes," she replied simply never taking her eyes off the man in the yard.
         "Help is on the way. Why don't you stay on the line with me until the Sheriff gets there?" the kind voice suggested. Kara listened and processed the voice she heard.
         "AnnaLeigh?" she asked softly.
         "It has been a while," the woman on the line replied.
         Kara heard sirens and saw the red and blue lights of a police car. Her left hand held onto the phone as if it were her lifeline. She placed the weapon at her side, knowing it would be bagged and tagged until the police released it back to her.
         "Still there?" AnnaLeigh asked.
         "Yes," she replied again. "Let the responders know that the weapon is down by my side and my hands are over my head. I don't want any mistakes." Kara put her phone on speaker so she could keep her hands above her head but still talk to AnnaLeigh. She heard the instructions being relayed to the officers and ambulance.
         "Kyle is almost there," AnnaLeigh reported.
         Kara looked at her phone. Why would Kyle be responding, she thought as she kept her hands up and remained seated in the door frame. Kyle Bridges. She had tried to sneak into and out of town to avoid him, but it looked like some Great Being was not going to grant that wish.
         "The ambulance is here," Kara started giving AnnaLeigh a play by play description of the activity. "The police have arrived with guns drawn. Did you tell them I have my hands up? The lights in the houses are coming on now and people are gathering on their porches. I bet this is more excitement than they have gotten since I left!"
         "Stand up and face the door," Kara heard an order given, but she couldn't move.
         "AnnaLeigh, can you tell them that I can't. I am going into shock and," Kara didn't finish her thought as darkness washed over her tired body. Shock had set in and she was out.
 
 
Chapter 2
         Kara's first thought before opening her eyes was that it was bright. Too bright for her car headlights. The porch was also soft and there were beeps in the background. The smell of antiseptic and Ivory soap filled her nose. Not her front porch. Slowly, she opened her eyes just a slit. Hospital. Trying to sit up, she realized she was not alone.
         "So, you decided to wake up?" she heard as she slowly turned her head toward the voice. Kyle.
         Groaning, Kara rolled toward the window. So not ready for this, she thought as she closed her eyes to avoid staring into the sunlight filtering through the window. "How is he?" she asked without acknowledging the man standing near her bed.
         "You're getting sloppy," he replied, chuckling slightly. "You grazed him instead of putting a hole in him. If I didn't know better, I would say you meant to do it."
         Kara rolled quickly to face the man standing beside her. He had always been tall, but now he was tall and filled out. The Sheriff's uniform fit snugly and he was lean. No donuts for him. "I wasn't really trying to hurt him," she grumbled. He wouldn't stand still. I didn't know him and it was dark," she started rambling but shut up when she saw the laughter in his eyes.
         The same golden eyes. The same laughter in them. The face was older. Worn. Not the carefree teenage she remembered.
         "Here to arrest me?" she asked, as she watched him watch her.
         "No. Just checking up on you. You know I need a formal statement," Kyle had not taken his eyes off her since she had rolled to face him. "The doctor said you would be released this afternoon, if you are able to walk around," he continued, watching her face.
         Kara felt panic rise as she continued to stare at Kyle. She looked away. Not now, she told herself. Not the place, not the time. Tomorrow, would be soon enough. After ten years, what was one more day.
         The spell was broken when a man in a white lab coat walked in. "Kara?", he said as he walked in, clipboard in hand.
         Kara looked away from Kyle and looked at the middle-aged man who was standing beside her bed. She nodded, but was still unable to speak.
         "I am Dr. Waterston. I checked you in last night and just wanted to followup before releasing you," he said as he looked between Kyle and Kara. "Sheriff, is she under arrest?" he asked, pulling his pen light from his pocket.
         "No, she is not under arrest," he said moving away from the bed so the doctor could get closer.
         "I need to ask you to leave," the doctor continued, "patient privacy and all." He dismissed Kyle and started checking on his patient.
         "I'll be outside. If you are released, you will need a ride to your house," Kyle said as he moved from the bedside to the door. He kept his hat in his hand. "Just outside," he repeated.
         "How are you feeling?" the doctor asked as he moved the pen light from eye to eye.
         "Okay," she replied. Kyle was going to wait. Not exactly what she was hoping would happen, but he was right. He was always right. She needed a ride home and didn't have anyone really to call to help.