They dragged Liam toward the door.

“Claire, don’t do it!” Liam shouted as they pulled him into the cold night.

“Shut up,” one of the men grunted, shoving a cloth into Liam’s mouth.

I fought against my captor, biting his hand as hard as I could.

The man cursed and shoved me hard against the kitchen counter.

I fell to the floor, my breath knocked out of me.

By the time I scrambled to my feet, the living room was empty.

The front door hung open, swinging slowly in the cold wind.

The sound of two SUV engines roaring to life echoed through the trees.

Gravel kicked up as they sped away down the dirt road.

I ran out onto the porch, staring into the dark woods.

The red taillights vanished behind the thick pines.

It was completely quiet again.

My body was shaking violently.

I went back inside and shut the broken front door as best as I could, bracing it with a wooden chair.

My phone was still in my back pocket.

I pulled it out with trembling hands.