Free Fall From Grace (Slater #1) by Sammy King Page A

stood.  The moon was high in the sky, but once they got into the middle of the woods where the canopy prevented any light in she couldn’t see two feet in front of her. 
    “Just follow me” the fox said in response to her rising panic.
    Laura adjusted her eyes so that she could see the flash of orange from the fox’s tale in front of her.  She continued to keep up with the fox until a small stone cottage seemed to rise out of the darkness in front of her.  Once they reached the small wooden front door, she pushed it and felt it release under her weight with a groan.  Laura held her breath unnecessarily as she knew that there was no one that could hear her.  The fox lead her into a small kitchen where on the wooden table sat a candle.  She lit the candle which with a flicker lit part of the room.
    “This way” the fox called from her left. 
    She turned to see the fox standing in the doorway to another room and she hurriedly followed him, her feet padding along the dirt floor.  As she entered the room she could see it was a bedroom.  Her father’s bed made of wood and hay sat in one corner of the room and beside that glinted the metal steel of a rifle with a small bowl of pellets.  She leaned forward and took the gun in her hand, feeling the cool of the steel under her fingers.
    “Let’s get back before he comes looking” the fox spoke quietly.
    Laura clutched the gun to her chest as she followed the fox back through the woods and into the waiting sunrise.  The cottage was still quiet when they returned; Laura followed the fox to the side of the house where he dug in the soft earth.
    “Bury the gun here” he said.
    Laura obeyed and pushed the gun down into the long grave that the fox had dug.  As the fox covered the gun with the earth she heard the creak of the wooden back door open and Laura quickly stood.  Her eyes darted between the mound of dirt that buried the gun, the fox and the side of the house.  The fox turned its head to her and sneered.  It casually trotted to the edge of the house with Laura close behind.  As she rounded the corner, she ran into the chest of her father.  She looked up into his face, but the morning sun that blinked over the top of the house blocked out her view.  She felt her father’s hands on her shoulders and realised that she was still in her nightdress and was cold.
    “Laura, what are you doing out here? And where are your shoes?” Thomas spoke gently; concern seemed to be etched in his voice.
    Laura looked down at her feet, she hadn’t realised she had no shoes on.  Her toes were caked with dirt and deep scratches were etched into her calves where they had run through the brush of the woods. She looked up at her father’s face again and this time could make out the deep frown that pulled his brows together.
    “What have you been up to?” he asked.
    The fox growled deep in its throat, threatening Laura not to tell the truth to her father. She looked down nervously at the fox; it bared its teeth as it crouched down onto its hind legs, its eyes narrowed and a growl emanated from its throat. Laura felt panic rise from the pit of her stomach, she wanted to stop the fox; her friend was scaring her.  Her eyes darted nervously between her father who looked increasingly worried by Laura’s behaviour and the fox.  Thomas reached forward and took hold of Laura’s hands that had begun to tremble.  With one hand he cupped her chin and gently caressed her jaw bone with his thumb.  Before Laura could pull Thomas away the fox launched itself and latched onto Thomas’ arm.  She heard Thomas roar in pain.  Laura reached up and tried to pull the fox from her father’s body, but her pulling caused both her and Thomas to fall. Laura landed with a thud on top of Thomas’ body.  The roars that had come from Thomas caused her Aunt to run from the house.  When Aunt saw the sight that was in front of her, Laura felt a hard slap in her face.  It was enough for Thomas