Free SNOW GLOBE by Jeanne Skartsiaris Page A

line.
    “I’m at 324 Willow and a man is breaking in. He’s coming in the house!” Aja whispered loudly. “Hurry.”
    “What’s your zip code? You’re calling from a cell phone.”
    Aja couldn’t remember. Her mind was blank with fear. “Hurry!”
    “Give me a cross street,” the operator stayed calm.
    “He’s in the house,” Aja cried. She heard boots on the kitchen floor. “Oh, God, hurry.”
    “Okay, stay on the line with me; I’m sending someone out.” There was a pause and click, then the operator somehow zeroed on her address. “Is this where you are?”
    “Yes,” Aja whispered. Another scuff sound closer to her room. Aja dropped the phone, took her pliers, and crawled to the window. She unlocked it and pulled it open. The screen was already ripped, and Aja tore through the screen with the pliers and rolled outside. She landed hard in some scraggly bushes but barely registered the sharp twigs jabbing into her back. She stood, tool in hand, and looked into her darkened window. Freddy was in her bedroom doorway looking at her. She saw the light of her cell phone on the floor. He crunched the phone under his boot. Aja turned and ran.
    She sprinted in a panic through the neighborhood, dogs barking at almost every house. He’d find her just by the noise. Aja dashed between two houses and tried to gulp some air and think. The more air she got in, the more her cuts hurt. Her head ached from being so keenly aware of fight-or-flight fear, layered with exhaustion.
    Before long, she saw red-and-blue flashing lights ricochet through the houses. She debated about going home. What if he was still there? He was, after all, a police officer. She looked down the dark alley where she hid. But what if he’s here? She blanched at the tomblike darkness and headed toward her house, pliers at the ready.
    By now a few of the neighbors had come out of their houses to check out the police visit.
    “Aja?” Fiona, one of her neighbors caught up to her. “What’s going on at your house?”
    “Someone tried to break in.” The relief of being safe brought on uncontrolled sobs. She put her tool into the back pocket of her jeans.
    “This neighborhood is getting so bad.” Fiona shook her head. “It’s getting that a lady can’t live alone here anymore. “Fiona was a middle-aged divorced woman, who’d raised three kids in her small home until they’d all moved out. “You okay? Where’s your mom?” Fiona put a comforting arm around Aja. “Why, you’re all cut up. What the hell happened?”
    Aja continued to cry. “I-I jumped out the window. I guess I landed in the bushes.”
    “You’re alone? Come on.” Fiona walked Aja toward her house.
    Aja headed to a cluster of police officers, who turned to her and Fiona. She saw Clay Richards among the group, and she froze in her spot.
    “Are you the young lady that called about a break-in?” one of the officers turned and asked her.
    Aja pointed to Richards. “It was him. He’s been following me and I saw him in my backyard.”
    Richards leered at her and laughed. “I was the first to the scene. I’d been patrolling and heard the call.”
    “Did you see anybody?” a female officer asked Richards.
    “No, and I drove around to make sure.”
    Aja shook her head. “No, he is the guy.”
    Fiona patted Aja’s sore back. “Honey, he’s a police officer. Are you sure?” She pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her tattered robe’s pocket and lit one.
    Richards took a few steps towards Aja. “You’re alone here tonight?”
    It was a question, but Aja was certain he knew she was.
    Aja backed away and tried to hide behind Fiona’s smokescreen. She began shaking. “I want a restraining order against this guy. I don’t care if he is a police officer, he’s been following me for days.”
    Richards laughed heartily, seeming so good-ol-boy. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating because I saw you at the old folks home the other night. You’re just looking to start