The Border Part Four Read Online Free PDF Page A

waist and pulled her back, struggling, through a nearby door.
    Trying to get free as she was dragged into a dimly-lit room, Hayley realized she could smell something foul on the man’s hand, like some kind of engine grease. She tried to cry out, but the hand over her face was far too firm, and a moment later she felt a sudden sharp pain slicing through her lower back, running deep into her body. She froze, realizing that something was twisting through her flesh, but the only sound she could hear – apart from rain falling on a tin roof high above – was the heavy breathing of whoever was behind her, coupled with fabric rubbing against her shirt.
    The rain was getting stronger now, tip-tapping all over the roof.
    Please be a joke , she thought, even though the pain was building. Please be Scott or Sean or someone pulling a prank. I’ll kill them for this!
    A moment later, the sharp pain moved to the other side of her back. She continued to struggle as she felt something warm running down her flesh, and she began to panic as she realized that it was blood. Still desperately trying to cry out, she stared ahead with wide-eyed horror at the open door just a few feet away, with rain falling more steadily now in the alley. She tried to open her mouth enough to bite her assailant’s hand, and when that didn’t work she tried instead to elbow him in the belly, but she was already finding it difficult to summon the necessary strength. Her legs were starting to buckle and as she continued to wriggle, she tilted her head back and felt hot, heavy breaths against her ear and the side of her neck.
    “Please,” she tried to say, but the hand over her mouth was too strong.
    In the distance, a car horn sounded.
    Forced forward suddenly, Hayley was slammed face-first against the wall. She felt her teeth hitting the concrete, and a sharp piece of enamel fell to the back of her throat. As she felt the man pressing against her from behind, she told herself that he might not be planning to kill her, and she found herself praying that he just wanted to hurt her, maybe use her a little, and then he’d let her go. With tears running from her eyes, she hoped against hope that he’d hitch up her skirt and just do what he wanted, but as each second passed she realized that it wasn’t going to be so easy. She tried again to cry out, but he was holding her face with such force, she was worried her jaw was going to get dislocated. Wriggling slightly, she felt her face being pressed against the rough wooden door jamb, and she felt a cold breeze blowing in from outside, bringing a fine sprinkling of rain.
    She began to sob as her mouth filled with blood.
    Her nose was broken.
    High above, there was a faint rumble of thunder.
    Suddenly, she was pulled back and thrown hard against the floor. She let out a gasp, but the hand was quickly clamped back over her mouth and she felt her attacker straddling her, using his weight to hold her down. She reached out, her fingernails scratching against the dusty concrete, but she still couldn’t scream. The man pressed down hard on her back and then grabbed her by the waist, twisting her around until she was able to see his silhouette above her, partially framed against the wide open door and against the rain-filled alley beyond. He pushed her down hard, banging the back of her head onto the floor before pressing his knees against her belly to hold her in place.
    Another car horn in the distance.
    Barely able to breathe, she snorted blood out through her nose.
    The rain was really crashing down now.
    Staring up at her attacker, Hayley caught a glimpse of something metal flashing in the low light. A moment later, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, just at the edge of her left breast, and she tried again to cry out as she realized he was cutting into her. With the man’s hand still clamped firmly over her mouth, she tilted her head back and squeezed her eyes tight shut, barely able to breathe as her entire body