Chapter 249

#116

Elias throws his shoulder directly into the partially open door of the building, shoving it inward so hard it bounces against the drywall with a loud thud. He raises his sidearm with both hands, his body instinctively dropping into a low firing posture as his eyes sweep the dim narrow hallway.

“Mom!” he shouts, his voice ringing through the small house. “Mom, where are you?”

He moves fast, his eyes darting toward the living room entrance on his left and the dark hallway leading to the back bedrooms. His pulse hammers violently in his ears, every worst-case scenario flashing through his mind at lightning speed.

“Eli?” A quiet voice answers from the back of the house, followed by the soft clatter of glassware.

A moment later, his mother steps out of the kitchen entryway holding a round ceramic baking dish in both hands, wearing a floral apron over her faded cardigan. She stops in her tracks, blinking at him in utter astonishment as she takes in his franti