Nathan Jones - Shortage

He sprinted up the porch steps and burst into the living room to a scene of horror. His mom was huddled in one corner clutching her face and coughing phlegmatically. From the looks of it she’d tried to defend herself with bear spray and had her can stolen from her, and her attacker had thoroughly sprayed her with it before discarding the can nearby.

Even more heart-wrenching, in the center of the room Sam was curled in a fetal position clutching her face and trying to twist and writhe out of the grip of two men leaning down to pick her up. Meanwhile a third man stood in front of her with his fist cocked back, ready to punch her once she was lifted high enough.

From her swiftly swelling and blackening eye and the bleeding gash along the third man’s forearm, inflicted by a bloody knife kicked out of the way in another corner, it was obvious Sam had tried to defend herself and had injured the looter. But her attempts had only made them angry, and now they were in no hurry as they took their time punishing her.

Matt took all that in the moment he stepped through the door, also seeing that there was no way he’d be able to get a shot off without risking hitting the woman he loved. He dropped the shotgun at the same time the third man, annoyed at Sam’s struggles, kicked her solidly in the stomach with all his weight behind it, nearly knocking her out of the hands of his friends.

At that Matt’s rational mind vanished and he unthinkingly charged the trio, digging into his other pocket for the bear spray as he went. One of the thugs holding Sam let go of her and leaned over to pick up an ugly club from the couch. It was made of rebar with a cloth tied around one end for a handle, and the man swung it even as he charged to meet Matt.

Matt sprayed him right in the face, barely pausing as the man dropped his weapon and went down with a strangled, choking scream. Matt bent to pick up the discarded club without slowing, lifting it to swing down at the third looter who was just now abandoning his attack on Sam and turning to meet him.

The thug had a police baton hanging from his belt, but before he’d done more than reach for it Matt slammed the length of rebar into his head with all the rage of watching this monster hurt the woman he loved behind the swing. It hit with a solid crunch he felt all the way up his arm and the man went down like a rag doll.

The second man holding Sam pushed her away to crumple to the floor, backing away as Matt turned for him and reaching into the front waistband of his pants to pull out a revolver. Matt froze mid-charge as the looter lifted the gun to point at his chest, although his senses screamed for him to keep going and at least try to bring the looter down before he went down himself to keep his loved ones from any further harm.

Razor’s gang member swore at him and squeezed the trigger.

Just before the gun went off Sam, huddled in a ball at his feet, desperately kicked out at his shins with both her legs. The thug stumbled as the gunshot crashed around the room, deafening in the small space, and Matt felt a sting like a dozen bees along his upper arm.

He leapt towards the falling man, swinging his club down with all his strength. It hit the looter’s gun arm, breaking it with a sickening snap and sending the weapon flying away. The thug, who was younger than Matt had expected, probably no older than late teens, curled up around his injured limb whimpering. In spite of his rage Matt couldn’t bring himself to hit the looter like he had the other man, so he dropped the crude club and fell to his knees, hitting the looter solidly in the face with his fist. Then again, and again, and finally one last time as the kid slumped unconscious to the floor.

A noise at the door turned him in time to see the looter he’d sprayed stumble outside, still coughing and hacking. Matt yanked the Glock from his waistband and strode towards the door, already lifting it to fire.

“Matt,” a weak voice behind him said. He turned to see Sam, hunched around her hurt stomach looking at him pleadingly, and felt his heart breaking at her bruises and the pain in her eyes. “Don’t go, please.”

Matt wanted nothing more than to rush to her and gather her in his arms, but the attack wasn’t over yet. “He could hurt someone else.”

“After getting a face full of bear spray? He’s not going to care about anything but finding a place to suffer in peace.” Matt couldn’t believe she could sound so calm after what she’d been through. She held out her hand for him. “Please.”

His indecision vanished and he shoved the gun back into his waistband and rushed over to her, dropping to the ground beside her so he could gather her in and hold her tight. As soon as his arms closed around her shoulders Sam’s show of composure vanished and she collapsed limply against his chest, breaking into gasping sobs.

“Oh thank God, Matt,” she cried. “Thank God. I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

“It’s all right,” he murmured, stroking her dark hair. “It’s all right now. Are you seriously hurt?”

She shook her head against his arm. “It hurts so bad, but I don’t think it’s anything serious.”

Matt turned to look at his mom, who was still huddled in the corner coughing and retching. The sight rekindled his rage. “Mom? Are you okay?”

She managed to catch her breath long enough to answer. “I will be with some water,” she mumbled. “I wish Ed was here.”

Matt held out his arm and she came to kneel beside him so he could enfold her in his embrace as well. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to them both. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I’m sorry for what they did to you.”

At that Sam calmed a bit and looked fiercely into his eyes. “You stopped them!” she said fiercely. “You came for us, that’s all that matters.”

He tenderly lifted a thumb to brush beneath Sam’s bruised eye. It looked like it was going to swell shut. “Not soon enough,” he said, ashamed of his failure to protect her. “When I heard your screams from Tillman’s I came as fast as I could, every moment terrified at what I was going to find.” The dark-haired woman dropped her head to rest against his shoulder again, taking his hand and holding it with both of hers, and he hugged her and his mom tighter to him. “But it’s all over now.”

With a last shuddering breath Sam pushed away from him and came up to her knees, looking around the room. With a pained groan she managed to push to her feet, waving away Matt’s efforts to help her, and hobbled over to pick up the revolver the kid had dropped. “It’s not over yet,” she said grimly. “The town’s still under attack, isn’t it?”

Matt kissed his mom on the cheek before also standing, looking down at the two men he’d taken out, then at his beloved as he thought about what had nearly happened to her. “I can’t leave you here by yourselves after this.”

“You have to! What about April and Terry and the boys? The looters will be headed their way.” Sam fumbled a bit until she managed to flip open the revolver’s chamber and check inside. The number of bullets seemed to satisfy her because she pushed it back shut again and lifted it to aim down the sights at the door. “We’ve got this now, and also the house’ll look looted like the others so they shouldn’t come around again. Besides, if the town falls we won’t be safe anyway.” She turned to give him a fierce look. “We’ll be fine, Matt. Go. Help your sister’s family.”

He nodded, but before he left he gathered Sam into his arms again. “I love you,” he said quietly. “I love you right down to the depths of my soul. Please, please stay safe.” He turned to look at his mom, who was still slumped wheezing where he’d left her. He’d have to have Terry look her over as soon as possible. “Both of you, stay safe.”