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Where was Gus?

He’d gone to bed with ht next to my bed on the floor He hadn’t been there when the alarms started, but God, where was he?

I turned around before I knehat I was doing

I was going back for the dog

So stupid

Suddenly one of the trucks veered straight for me

My heart hit round It was dark out, so I laid flat, and then I prayed

The truck went right past me Gunshots filled the air A bullet hit the dirt ten feet frohts I had to slow my senses

This wasn’t the first situation like this that I’d been in I should’ve been h the possible consequences

I was having déjà vu from when I first ran from an armed man, but this situation was on steroids

I could get shot

I could get taken

I could get sold

I could be tortured

I could die

Okay All those sucked

God, I was so dumb So dumb

The trucks had moved to the other side of the house I still couldn’t hear Gus barking, but the shots continued like a steady rain

I hurried to the back of the house and paused, listening

They were fully engaged on the other side I didn’t know if anyone was in the house, but I crept up, letting myself in the secret doorway this tiue Gus had followed my scent

He’d found his way into the secret room I had no clue how The door was closed… Raize had done that! He’d put hi

I didn’t knohy Gus wasn’t barking, but thank God It ht’ve saved his life

“Okay, buddy—” The floor creaked, just on the other side of the wall

Someone was in my bedroom

Gus turned and started growling

No!

I cla noise

He shook

The floor creaked again as the person hurried forward