False Gods: The Show Jumper's Challenge

CORY TUCKED THE journal between the mattress and box spring, too tired to get up and put it away, snapped off the light and wriggled farther under the covers. She pulled them over her bare arms against the chill in the room and rolled on her side to face the wall. She had no idea whether she had fallen asleep or not, or whether it had been hours or minutes, when a wide shaft of light from the hall played across her face, then narrowed. She flipped onto her back, propping up on her elbows as her eyes adjusted to the dimness. A figure stood inside the doorway. Jess? Not Jess, too big. Her mind struggled to make sense of it. The figure moved toward her bed, knocked against the far edge of it, and grunted. A man’s voice. Bucky!

“Hey, this is my room!” Cory pulled the blankets up to her chin, suddenly aware of her bare breasts under the light t-shirt.

He rounded the corner of the bed and leaned toward her, falling on one hand.

“I found you,” he said playfully and groped in the dark, swinging one arm out like a blind man trying to find her. She scooted toward the wall, but his arm brushed against her. It wrapped around her shoulder and down her arm.

“Get out of my room!” Cory shouted.

He pressed against her, crushing her against the pillow.

“I want you,” he slurred. His breath stunk of garlic and wine. Her arms were pinned under his weight and tangled in the blanket. She rocked back and forth, struggling to free them, to push him off.

“Get off! Mom!”

No answer from the living room. No hurried footsteps on the stairs to rescue her. Cory screamed again, “Mom!”

Hershey pushed into the room, bumping the door against the wall. The hall light illuminated Bucky’s face, flushed and greasy with sweat. At the sound, he turned toward the door and Cory managed to extract one arm. She pushed against his shoulder with all her strength. His body rolled away. She pulled her other arm out and with both hands braced against his chest, shoving him off. He slid to the floor on hands and knees and remained there, head down. Hershey sniffed the crown of his head and emitted a low rumbling growl deep in his throat. Cory threw back the blankets and leapt for the door as Bucky staggered to his feet.