A Silent Terror by Lynette Eason Page A

long should she stay there? Should she try to leave and get help?
    A light flickered in front of her. The terror returned full force, and she scrunched down into a little ball, not wanting to move and take the chance on making noise that would draw attention to her.
    The light passed over her. More running feet, headed in her direction. She scrambled to her feet, adrenaline flowing, anger surging. This time she’d fight back and with fists still knotted, tightly clenched. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her cheek, she tried to remember every self-defense move Joseph had taught her.
    Then she was staring into Ethan O’Hara’s worried face as he turned the light on himself to show her who was there.
    Her muscles wilted, pulling her back to the floor she’d just risen from, and she burst into tears.
     
    Ethan had never felt such murderous rage as he did at that very moment. Not even toward the two teens who had drag raced in the high school parking lot, their irresponsible actions leading to his sister’s tragic death. Ashley’s death had been an unintentional act.
    This, though, this attack on Marianna had premeditation written all over it. He sat on the floor beside the sobbing woman and gathered her into his arms. More beams of light entered through the door held open by the officers Ethan had called when he realized the lights in the gym didn’t work.
    Campus security arrived and everyone began talking at once.
    The young man in his mid-thirties who held the title of head of campus security, Kevin Manning, sat on his haunches, pushed his cap back on his head and asked, “She all right?”
    Through gritted teeth, Ethan muttered, “Does she look all right?”
    Kevin’s expression didn’t change although his eyes sharpened. He ignored Ethan’s question. I ll need her to tell us what happened just as soon as she gets it together.”
    Ethan thought about putting his fist together with the man’s nose, but reined in the impulse. The guy was just doing his job. He had the safety of all the residential students and staff on his shoulders. Of course he would need information as soon as possible.
    Marianna pulled away from him, and his arms immediately missed her slight form. Using the heel of her palms to swipe the tears from her face, she squared her jaw and looked at him. He flinched when he saw the gash on her cheek, the blood on her face, smeared and still seeping. He made sure his face stayed illuminated by one of the flashlights. She said, “I want this person caught.”
    “Do you remember anything about him? Did you see him?”
    “No, it was pitch-black. But I felt him.” She shuddered and the tremble went straight to his heart. Then he felt guilty. Once again, someone he cared about had been hurt. If only he’d come to check on her earlier; if only…
    His fault…his fault…
    Shrugging those memories aside, he told himself to focus. “Did you notice anything about him? Did he have on a mask? Come on, Marianna, give me something to work with.”
    Overhead lights came on, slowly brightening in intensity as they warmed up. Flashlights flicked off, and Ethan finally got a full look at her face, noticing the gash on her cheek looked worse in the glaring brightness.
    “We need to get you to a doctor to check that out.” He reached out a hand as though to touch it, and she flinched away from him. His hand dropped.
    “He…pushed me into the bleacher and…”
    Ethan pulled out a clean handkerchief and pressed it to the wound. “I think it’s slowing down, but you may need a stitch.” He backed up a bit and turned to see paramedics coming through.
    Ethan glanced at Kevin, who shrugged. “Didn’t figure it would hurt anything to call them.”
    Respect for the man went up a notch. “Good move. Thanks.”
    Marianna fought the idea of going to the hospital. “Just put a butterfly bandage on it and it’ll be fine.”
    One of the paramedics said, “If you insist, but you still might want to have a doctor