Chapter 4: The Rescue
Thomas sprinted through the damp grass.
The heavy brass key was clutched tightly in his fist.
His chest heaved with every desperate breath.
The darkness of the yard no longer felt terrifying to him.
It was simply the path leading him back to his son.
He reached the shadow of the large oak tree.
The heavy iron cage sat exactly where he had left it.
Ethan was still gripping the thick metal bars.
The boy's small body trembled violently in the cold night air.
Thomas fell to his knees beside the cruel contraption.
"I am right here, Ethan."
Thomas spoke breathlessly as he jammed the key into the heavy padlock.
His hands shook as he forcefully turned the metal mechanism.
With a loud, metallic click, the heavy lock sprang open.
Thomas pulled it free and threw it furiously into the dark grass.
He yanked the iron door open so hard it slammed against the side of the cage.
Ethan practically fell forward into the open space.
Thomas caught his son and pulled him tightly against his chest.
The little boy buried his face into the fabric of his father's suit jacket.
He wept with loud, exhausted, and broken sobs.
"I was so scared, Dad."
Ethan cried, his tiny fingers gripping Thomas's shirt.
"I thought you were not coming back."
Thomas squeezed his eyes shut as a tear slipped down his own cheek.
"I will always come back for you."
Thomas whispered fiercely into the boy's hair.
"No one is ever going to hurt you again."
He rocked the boy gently in the quiet darkness.
He rubbed his back, feeling the cold dampness of the small tuxedo.
The sheer trauma of the evening hung heavily around them.
But as the minutes passed, Ethan's breathing slowly began to steady.
The absolute warmth of his father's embrace drove the terrible chill away.
Thomas stood up slowly, lifting the boy completely off the ground.
Ethan wrapped his legs around his father's waist and rested his head on his shoulder.
Thomas looked back toward the glowing lights of the patio.
The lively jazz music had completely stopped playing.
A heavy silence had fallen over the estate.
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It was time to face the people who had stood by while his son suffered.
He turned his back on the darkness and carried his boy toward the light.
