Football Boys

Chapter Fourteen

My heart immediately sank into my stomach at the alarming sound of a slamming car door, the noise making my body shake as Ellie's eyes frantically darted about the room.

Absolute fear overcame Ellie as he scrambled past me, dropping one of his crutches to grab my arm.

"Let's go," he whispered harshly.

Holding him up from under his shoulder, I struggled to help Ellie upstairs, frowning deeply as his heart rapidly beat against my palm.

"Ellie–"

"No time... just help me... I need to hide you."

Almost tripping over his own foot upon reaching the top step, Ellie nearly went deadweight in my arms as I hurriedly positioned myself to catch him.

"Hurry," he whispered, exhaling harsh with his eyes wide, directed ahead.

Adrenaline rushed through my limbs as what I figured as the front door was busted open, slamming into the wall.

Consequently, with us both stopping abruptly, I had my attention focused on the floor, trying to see if I could hear any other nearby movement from downstairs.

A gradually building wheezing sound became apparent as I slowly lifted my eyes to see that Ellie was breathing heavily, seeming to be frozen in fear.

"Ellie... you better not have anyone over! Who's fucking car is that? Ellie!"

Ellie's body began to tremble in my arms at the sound of his brother's booming voice, ya both jumping at the initial deep roar.

"Ellie, where do we go," I whispered.

He pointed to an open room and gasped as I drug him inside.

Carefully shutting the door behind us, I turned from the knob to watch as Ellie backed up to the wall, stumbling to hold himself up as his fearful eyes seemed to peer through the wall beside him.

It was silent in the hall as I placed my ear to the door, slowly twisting the knob so that it wouldn't make a clicking sound upon shutting it.

With the door fully shut, I locked it and went to grab Ellie, who didn't seem as if he'd move on his own.

"Ellie... look at me, we have to move... you have to move," I muttered harshly.

He idly stared into my eyes, his mouth slightly agape as he breathed deeply to calm himself down.

Suddenly, he lost his grip on his crutch and let it fall, making a loud thud.

My eyes growing wide at the breath taking sound of quick heavy footsteps, I frantically looked around the room until I saw another door.

Closet.

I grabbed Ellie and picked him up into my arms, holding his legs and back as I ran to the door.

After struggling to open it, I gently placed Ellie down and watched him scoot back into the corner before I knelt down and turned to slowly close the door, leaving a small crack to stare out and at the bedroom door.