Chapter 43

Chapter 43
The Last Door

The shadow moved. Long. Big. Crawling over the church wall.

I held Caleb tight. He hid his face in my chest. His hair tickled my chin. His little sobs made my heart hurt more than knives.

I whispered, “Don’t look, baby. Don’t look.”

The door creaked. My ears hurt from the sound. Cold air rushed in. My skin prickled.

She stepped in. Lila. Face half in shadow. One cheek cut, blood dried, making her look even scarier. Her eyes like sharp glass. Her lips curved small, thin.

“Thought you could hide forever?” she whispered.

I shook my head. My throat dry. Words stuck. I hugged Caleb tighter, glass shard biting my palm.

Lila walked slow. Her heels clicked soft. Soft but loud in my ears. Like drum beats. My stomach turned.

“Give him to me, Judith,” she said. “You can’t run anymore. You’ll break.”

“I won’t,” I whispered. My voice tiny, shaky. “I’ll never give him.”

She laughed. Low. Cold. My knees felt weak.

Caleb pressed closer into me. His little fingers clutched my shirt. “Mommy,” he cried. “Don’t let her take me.”

My eyes stung. Tears hot. But I held him tighter. “Never, baby. Never.”

I moved back, step by step. My shoes scraped the stone floor. Dust rose. My chest hurt, beating too fast.

She kept walking. Closer.

I raised the glass shard. My hand shook. My arm weak. But I lifted it anyway.

“You can’t scare me,” I whispered. “You won’t win.”

She tilted her head. Her eyes sparkled cold. “I already won. You’re tired. You’re broken. And you’re alone.”

Alone. The word hit me hard. But I shook my head again. “Not alone. I have him. He’s mine.”

She stopped, just a few feet away. She smiled sharp. “Then watch me take him.”

My stomach twisted. My legs bent, ready. I hugged Caleb. He whimpered, scared.

And then, bang!

The church door slammed shut. Loud. My ears rang. Lila turned fast. Her face changed, eyes narrowing.

A figure stood at the door. Tall. Shoulders wide. Coat dark. His face hidden in shadow.

“Step away from them,” the man said. His voice deep, rough.

I froze. Who was he? Friend? Enemy? My hand held the glass tighter than before. 

Lila hissed, “You again.”

Again? My head spun. Did she know him?

The man stepped forward. His boots heavy on the floor. He pulled something shiny from his coat. A gun. Pointed at her.

“Enough games,” he said.

Caleb gasped. He buried his face in me. I covered his ears with one hand, holding the glass tight with the other.

Lila’s smile dropped. “You think you can stop me?”

The man raised the gun higher. “I don’t think. I know.”

The air went heavy. Like the church itself held its breath.

I couldn’t move. My knees shook. Hot Sweat dripped down my back.

Lila’s eyes darted to me. Then to Caleb. Then back to the man.

“You won’t shoot,” she whispered. “Not in front of them.”

He didn’t answer. Just stepped closer. The gun steady.

My chest hurt. My arms burned from holding Caleb so tight. My mind raced. If he shoots… if she attacks… what do I do?

Caleb whimpered again. “Mommy, I’m scared.”

“I know, baby. I know,” I whispered. “Don’t look. Don’t look.”

The man said, “Last chance, Lila. Leave the child. Walk away.”

Lila laughed. “Never.”

She moved fast. Too fast. Her hand grabbed the nearest pew, flipping it. Wood cracked. Dust flew.

I screamed. Covered Caleb. Dropped low. My ears rang.

The man fired. Bang! Bang! The sound too loud. My heart jumped.

I peeked. Lila ducked behind the altar. Her laugh echoed. “You missed.”

The man cursed under his breath. Reloaded fast.

I crawled backward, clutching Caleb, hiding behind another pew. My arms trembled. My breath fast. My eyes wet.

“Mommy,” Caleb whispered, tiny voice. “Make it stop.”

“I’m trying, baby,” I whispered back. My voice broke. “I’m trying.”

The man shouted, “Judith! Stay down! Don’t move!”

He knew my name. My blood ran cold. Who was he?

Lila’s laugh cut through the air. “She’ll never trust you. She doesn’t even know you. But me? She knows me. And she knows I’ll never stop.”

Her words stabbed at me. True. I knew her. And I knew she wouldn’t stop.

I pressed my face in toCaleb’s hair. He smelled like dust, sweat, and tears. My own tears wet his hair.

The man fired again. Bang! Sparks flew. Lila screamed, but not in pain. In anger.

“You can’t kill me!” she shouted. “You’ll have to try harder.”

The man moved closer. His steps heavy. His gun steady.

I peeked again. His face still hidden by shadow. But his voice shook. Not with fear. With rage.

“Lila,” he growled. “This ends tonight.”

Lila’s laugh echoed again. Louder. “No. It just begins.”

Then she threw something. Small. Metal. It fell on the floor near him.

His eyes widened. “Get down!” he yelled.

I ducked, covering Caleb tight. My body curled around him.

Boom! The blast shook the church. Dust rained. Wood cracked. My ears screamed.

I held Caleb. He cried. I whispered, “It’s okay, it’s okay, I got you.” But my voice shook. My arms shook. Nothing felt okay.

The man groaned, stumbling back. His gun dropped. Smoke filled the room. I coughed, eyes burning.

Through the smoke, I saw her. Lila. Standing tall. Smiling sharp. Blood streak still on her cheek.

She pointed at me. “You can’t keep him forever.”

My whole body froze. Caleb shook in my arms.

The man crawled on the floor, reaching for his gun. Lila stepped closer, her eyes locked on me.

I raised the glass shard again. My hand bloody now, cut deeper. But I held it tight.

“Come closer,” I whispered. “I’ll fight. I’ll fight till I die.”

She smirked. “Then you’ll die.”

Her shadow grew bigger as she stepped closer. My legs weak. My arms tired. My eyes burning.

I whispered to Caleb, “Don’t let go of Mommy. Hold on tight.”

His tiny voice came back, shaking, “I’m holding.”

Tears filled my eyes. My chest ached. I pressed my cheek to his hair. “That’s my boy. That’s my brave boy.”

The man shouted again, his voice breaking through the smoke, “Judith, run!”

But I couldn’t. My legs froze. My arms locked. My heart hammered.

Lila’s eyes glittered. Her hand reached for us. Closer. Closer.

I screamed, lifted the shard high,

And then, 

The church doors burst open again. Light flooded in. Soldiers stormed inside. Guns raised. Voices loud.

“Drop it!” they yelled. “Now!”

Lila hissed, stepping back. Her eyes burning with hate. She looked at me. “This isn’t over.”

Her laugh echoed one more time. Then she ran into the shadows.

The soldiers shouted, chasing her. Boots heavy. Voices loud.

I collapsed to my knees, Caleb in my arms. My tears poured. My whole body shook.

The man crawled to me, holing his side, face still hidden. He whispered to me,“You’re safe now.”

But his words didn’t feel true. Not yet.

Because I knew. She would come back.

She always would.

I pressed Caleb closer. His tiny hands squeezed my shirt hard. My legs still shook. My chest felt like it would split open.

The smoke smelled like fire and dust. My head throbbed. I couldn’t think straight.

The man’s shadow moved over me. I felt scared. But I had Caleb. And that was all that mattered.