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

to be able to push her off himself.  Laura fell back onto the cold earth with a hard thump.
    Thomas sat up and moved out of her reach.  She could see his face was scratched and bleeding, he was breathing hard, his eyes had darkened and his eyebrows were pulled together in a deep frown.  Laura looked around for the fox but couldn’t see it anywhere; she glanced down at her hands and saw the blood that stained her fingers, her father’s blood.
    “Now will you believe me Thomas” Aunt screamed.
    Thomas sat staring at Laura; she noticed his hands trembled in his lap.  Laura looked between Thomas and her Aunt. Aunt was still yelling at Thomas, but Laura couldn’t work out the words she was saying.  In the corner of her eyes she could feel the darkness starting to creep in.  Her vision got blurry and she could hear her father call her name, before the darkness took over her body.
     
     
    Chapter Fourteen
    When Laura woke, she was in a clean nightgown in her bed, the room was light and she watched as the dust danced in the speckled sun that poured its way into the window.  She looked over and could see her father sitting in a hard wooden chair next to her bed.  His head was bent down into his hands and he appeared to be sleeping.
    “Father” Laura spoke softly.
    Thomas’ head shot up and his dark eyes softened when he looked at her frail body that lay in the bed.  He leaned forward and reached out a hand to her.  Laura’s eyes began to well up with tears when she saw the deep wounds on his face from the fox.
    “Daddy, I’m sorry the fox did that to your face, I didn’t want it to” she spoke.
    Thomas frowned and gingerly touched one of the wounds that ran from his eye to his jaw.  He shook his head slowly and clasped Laura’s hand tight.
    “My sweetness, a fox didn’t do this to me” he spoke, his voice cracking as a single tear trickled its way down his cheek.
    Laura was confused; she had watched the fox leap at her father in attack. She didn’t know where it was now, but she had seen it happen.
    “I watched it Daddy” she said.
    Thomas shook his head again and gave her hand another squeeze.
    “I think maybe your Aunt might be right, maybe you need to go to a hospital for a while” he quietly spoke, shaking his head.
    Laura was confused, she couldn’t understand why she would need to go to a hospital, she wasn’t sick. She was with child, but she didn’t need to go to a hospital for that.  Laura started to think maybe her father just didn’t want her around anymore, but then she knew he could leave, he could go back to his home.  She didn’t understand what was happening to her.
    “He thinks you’re crazy” the voice spoke.
    Laura looked down at the end of the bed and saw the fox sitting curled up at her feet. She hadn’t noticed it before, but now felt its feet slowly crawl up her legs and over her large belly until it sat on her chest. Although it was a big animal it didn’t feel heavy.  Laura reached out instinctively and began to stroke the top of its head as it curled up again on her chest and began to purr.
    “I’m not crazy.  You shouldn’t have hurt my father” she spoke.
    She felt angry at the fox for hurting her father, but the love she felt for it was overwhelming and pushed her anger from her.
    “Laura, I don’t think your crazy child” her father spoke.
    “I was speaking to the fox” she said “he shouldn’t have hurt you”
    Thomas frowned deep and dropped Laura’s hand. He slowly stood from his seat and moved quickly back towards the doorway.
    “He’s not going to hurt you again Daddy, I won’t allow it” she spoke sensing her father’s fear.
    Thomas shook his head and left the room.  Laura looked back down to the fox that almost seemed to be smiling with contentment as it lay asleep on her chest.  Laura felt sleep take her again as she stroked the top of the foxes head.
    When she awoke again it was dark throughout the room, the only light a small