The boy crawled out the window at about 9pm. It was the third night in a row he’d done this. He was a bit short for his age with mussy brown hair and wore dark clothes to decrease the chance of being seen by the object of his affection.

Since the beginning of the year, he’d fallen head over heels for his freshman year art teacher, Ms. Bordeaux. Three nights ago, he’d discovered she kept her bedroom shades open. He been frozen initially watching her go through her nightly routine and the memory marked itself on his soul for use once he’d gotten home.

The next night he’d done the same thing intentionally this time. He knew it was wrong, but teenage lust compelled him to take anything he could of Ellen Bordeaux.

He’d worked out the perfect path to get on the hill behind her home undetected. The first night it had been accidental. He’d just needed a quick whiz on the way to the bonfire. He avoided the gas station and went around and down the tracks by the old coal tipple. From there it was up the ATV trail towards the remnants of the Bronson farm at a mile and half in he veered to through a bit of underbrush till he could see her house.

He got closer and pulled out the binoculars he’d stowed for this purpose. He sat on a stump and focused in on the window. What he saw was impossible. Ms. Bordeaux was in the corner of the room and a tall white man in a mask stood over her with a pistol.

He knew he should call the police. That would be the right thing to do, but he stuffed the binoculars back in his bag and rushed to the house. It was the same type of house as his cousin’s and he rushed to a small opening on the side and pushed the cover aside. He crawled under the house and along the lines till he found the interior entrance to the crawlspace and opened it.

He crawled into the room and realized he was in her closet. He could see the man through the slats on the doors and Ms. Bordeaux. He had her on the bed and he was on top of her. It was only then he noticed her mouth was covered with duct tape and she had more securing her hands.

He looked around the closet for some kind of weapon and found a tennis racket. He slipped it from the case and stood. He had the element of surprise going for him. He burst through the door and swung the racket.

He swung twice once forward and once backwards the man grabbed the racket and shoved him to the ground. He stood. He was tall. At least 6’3’’ and hefty too.

He spoke though the mask he wore muffled his voice slightly, “What you got here lady? Young lover?”

Ms. Bordeaux squirmed and tried to speak through the tape, but it was completely incoherent.

The boy mustered all his courage, “I already called the cops just leave her alone.”

As the man slipped his pants back on he laughed, “You’re the Miller boy. Your Daddy’d kill you if you called the pigs for shit. He runs more meth than the other 119 counties combined.” He aimed the gun at the boy.

Ms. Bordeaux kicked at him from behind with every bit of force she could muster, but it didn’t do anything but anger the man. He turned and grabbed the foot that kicked him and pulled her to him and slapped her. Then he pulled the duct tape off her mouth, “You scream and you and your boyfriend die.”

She cried, “Let him go, he is just a kid.”

“He your boyfriend?”

She shook her head, “He’s in my class. Do what you want with me, just let him go.”

The boy managed to get back to his feet and charged the man who backhanded him with the hand holding the pistol causing him to careen into the dresser.

“Ryan!” the woman shouted and the man turned back to her and slapped her.

“What did I say, bitch? Keep your fucking mouth shut.”

He turned back to the boy who was trying to stand and had dripping from his lip.

“What bout you? You here to fuck da bitch? You her secret boyfriend?”