The People Traders Read Free

the shower, cowered back as the belt was raised, and then seconds later the buckle crashed down, missing her by inches and smashing tiles. As he raised it again, Karen didn't wait for the outcome; she shot out of the shower, crashing her full body weight into him. With his arm raised, Frank lost balance and fell back onto the toilet, smashing the pan. She kicked out, catching him between the legs. That was enough; he rolled up in a ball, the pain of the kick reverberating through his body. Karen scrambled away, yanking the door open before falling outside. She pulled herself up and stumbled, rather than ran; but at that moment, Susan, initially frightened with all the noise, had plucked up enough courage to come and see what was going on. She burst out of her door, barging straight into Karen. Frank, in close pursuit, made a grab at Karen, missed, and caught Susan squarely in the face with his fist. The impact smashed the other side of her head against the door post, and she sank slowly to the floor. Karen scrambled over her, making for the stairs, and, she hoped, freedom.
    Grabbing at the front door and finding it locked, she cursed, and then turned and ran through to the back but found that also was locked. Now desperate, she looked at the closed window but couldn't find anything heavy enough to break it with.
    At that moment the door from the hall crashed open. "Try to blind me, would you? Now you'll pay for it."
    Karen spun round. Frank was stood holding onto the door, blood running down his face. She glanced desperately round the room for a weapon and saw a set of knives in a wooden block on the work surface. Frank saw the knives as well and they both made for them at the same time.
    Karen, being closer, won, and pulling the largest knife from the block, she turned to face him. "You're dead if you come any closer," she screamed.
    He grinned at her. "Give it your best shot, kid. I'll have it out of your hands in seconds then I'll show you what a knife can really do to a pretty face like yours. I wasn't in the army for nothing!" and he followed the comments with a forced laugh.
    She was frightened at these words, and on the edge of panic, tears streamed from her eyes. The fight had shocked her. She'd been to self-defence classes and had even achieved a brown belt, but they hadn't prepared her for reality. There had been lots of room; they'd fought under strict conditions, even with a knife. However, the reality of a stranger threatening to take the knife off her and cut her up, terrified her. Faced with this, the trainer's recommendation to get a weapon, which she had done, was now going sour.
    Frank watched her falling apart. She looked nervous, undecided, the arm holding the knife slowly dropping. This was his chance. Lunging forward, Karen saw him coming and raised the knife instantly, catching the pit of his arm. Frank, in pain, pulled back from her and this success spurred her on to go for him again. This time, however, he was ready and punched her hard in the stomach. She fell back, gasping for breath. He was on top of her instantly, at the same time wrenching at the hand holding the knife. She wasn't done yet, and with her other hand she grabbed his ear. This time her hands were dry and she began yanking and twisting it in an effort to rip the ear from his head. Frank was shouting at her to let go as he still tried in vain to get the knife from her other hand. He fell back, in pain from her attack on his ear and Karen struggled away. She was back in control and was not prepared to give in, crawling along the floor before pulling herself up with the help of the door handle and stumbling into the hall. Aware the front door was locked, her only way was up and to barricade herself into a bedroom, so she made for the stairs.
    Frank, regaining his balance, grabbed a milk bottle from the side, before following her. He raced up the stairs, catching up as she reached the landing, and made a grab at Karen's t-shirt in a