Chuck has us starting this week's story with a knock at the door. It took me a bit to sort out how to get my story onto the screen - I knew what I wanted to write; but the way it was getting there was going to be difficult.
Enjoy.
It didn’t take long
for Lisa to get to the door, “I’m coming! Hang on!” she walked up to it with
confidence – even though she hated receiving visitors – and opened it as much
as the chain would allow, “Hello?”
“Hello Miss, we were
wondering if you were interested in having a Foxtel connection?” a young man
said.
“No thank you, I can’t
afford that.” She said and closed the door, sliding the deadbolt across. She
stood there for a moment, relieved she didn’t have to talk to them too long;
yes, she knew there was another one there.
“Fuckin’ bitch didn’t
let me say much.” The first one who spoke said.
“Hey, some of them
are like that. They know what they want in life and Foxtel television isn’t part
of their lives.” The other said, “Let’s just move onto the next person.” They moved
away, but not before the second person commented, “And if you’re going to take
everything personally, you’re not the person for this job.”
A few days later,
something bashed onto her front door and Lisa’s dog barked, but Thunder didn’t
leave her side until she urged him to stand up and check it out with her.
It was brick.
Puzzled, she picked
it up and threw it to one side; out of the way of the path; meanwhile, Thunder
stood in the doorway of the house.
From across the
road, the young man who had knocked on Lisa’s door trying to get her to buy
Foxtel – and took it personally – was watching. He noticed something strange
about her: she didn’t watch where she threw the brick and she was slow going
back into the house.
“She’s blind.”
“So, how has your
week been, sis?” Courtney asked as she unpacked the groceries on the counter of
Lisa’s kitchen.
“Not bad.” She smiled,
“We had Foxtel people come around and try to push it onto me and the neighbours.”
Mark cleared his
throat from the kitchen table, “Are you sure?”
“Yes… oh… that’s
right, you work for that company.”
“We’re not
door-knocking anymore around here. That stopped six months ago.” He replied, “I’ll
call the police and let them know.” And walked into the hall to use his mobile.
“Thank you. When you
lose your sight, you lose track of time.” She said.
“And what’s that
brick next to your door?” Courtney asked.
“Somebody threw it
at my door the other day.” She said, “Thunder barked but I think it was because
the sound scared him more than anything else. But when I tossed it to one side,
he was really alert in the doorway.”
Mark came back into
the room, “Yeah, they’ve had six or seven break-ins around here in the last
week – all people who have disabilities and all people who said no to the
Foxtel connection.” He sighed, giving his wife a concerned look, then looked
over at his sister-in-law, “Lisa, I don’t want you staying here on your own
anymore.”
“Hey, the car
accident wasn’t my fault… I can do a lot of things on my own.” She smiled, “And
I still have my gun.”
“Which anyone can
use against you.” He said.
Courtney hissed, “Mark.”
“My fire arm could easily
have been used against me when I was a cop. What’s the difference now?” Lisa
asked.
“You can’t see your
target.”
“We’ll see about
that.”
A week past before
Thunder woke Lisa in the middle of the night, whimpering that something was
going on. The last time this happened, he had caught a burglar picking the back
door lock and all she did was turn on the back light… the dude had left his
lock pick in the lock when he took off. Lisa thought that was hilarious.
But this time, it
was more urgent.
This time, Thunder
had started to jump onto the bed and she knew she needed her gun.
She grabbed it as
she climbed out, slipped her feet into her loafers and felt the chill of the
air around her as she walked quickly and quietly to the door. Thunder stayed by
her side – being an ex-police dog who had become her guide dog, he knew to
stick by her when they were working; and to him, this was them working.
A smash and tinkle
of glass was heard from downstairs… footsteps crushing the glass after they unlocked
the door, snapped the two chains she had on it…
…Lisa breathed
slowly waiting for them at the top of the stairs in the darkened corner where
they couldn’t see her.
Thunder’s warm body
by her leg was comforting to her – more now than ever because he was her eyes –
and she could feel his body tense; thus showing they were going to come
upstairs.
She readied herself
for an attack as the scent of the cheap cologne from the young man invaded her
nose before he was up the stairs.
Thunder growled.
Lisa took aim right
in front of her and pulled the trigger.
She heard the exhale
of air and his body collapse down the stairs. But she couldn’t relax yet…
because Thunder was still tense.
There was another
one in the house.
“Where are you! I
know you’re here… no use in hiding. I’m a cop and so is my dog!” she shouted.
“Aaaww, crap, lady…
you’re blind…”
“Stay where you are!”
another familiar voice shouted, “Put your gun down! On your knees! Don’t move!”
“Thunder stay.” She said
grabbing his collar as she slid into the corner of the wall next to him, “Good
boy… we’re a good pair.” He turned and licked her cheek, “I love you too, you
big softy.”
“Is anyone here?” a
voice called up the stairs.
“Yeah! My name is Lisa.
I’m an ex-cop.”
“Lisa Battley? Man,
I heard about you and Thunder. That was no accident. Somebody wanted you out of
the way.” He knelt down, “Good shot you took there.”
“Thanks.” She smiled,
“And these two bozo’s?”
“They came back to
finish the job.”
“So, what now?
Seeing I’m not out of the woods with this really?”
“Protective custody.”
He replied.
“Oh… yay. If being
blind isn’t bad enough.”
