Chapter 6 - The Battle in the MudBefore Daniel could reach Claire, I lunged forward, tackling him around his waist.
We both hit the muddy ground hard, rolling into the dirt beneath the burning light of my home. Daniel was younger and bigger, driven by a psychotic, desperate rage, but I was fighting for my daughter's life.
Daniel swung his elbow, striking me hard across the jaw. I saw stars, tasting copper in my mouth, but I held onto his arms with everything I had.
"You're dead, old man!" Daniel shrieked, pressing the heavy iron crowbar against my throat, trying to crush my windpipe.
I couldn't breathe. The rain poured into my eyes, mixing with the sweat and blood pouring from my forehead. My vision started to dim around the edges.
Through the roaring sound of the fire behind us, I heard Claire scream.
"Get off my father!"
Claire didn't run. She didn't hide.
She grabbed the heavy iron shovel from the garden rack beside the porch and swung it with all the strength in her broken body, striking Daniel full in the shoulder.
Daniel yelled in pain, dropping the crowbar as he fell sideways into the mud.
I scrambled up, grabbing the crowbar from the dirt, and stood over him.
Daniel looked up at me from the mud, coughing, his face covered in black sludge and rain. The fire from the burning house cast long, dancing shadows across his terrified face.
He raised his hands, shaking violently. "Sam... Sam, please! Don't! I'm sorry! I was crazy! I'll give you whatever you want!"
I stood there, breathing heavily, the iron bar held high in my hands.
I looked at my house—the home where I had raised Claire, where my wife had died, now being swallowed completely by towering red flames. I looked at my daughter, standing in the rain, battered and bleeding, but standing tall on her own two feet.
I dropped the crowbar into the mud beside his head.
"I'm not going to kill you, Daniel," I said, my voice echoing over the thunder. "Because killing you is too easy. You're going to live long enough to watch everything you ever loved turn to dust."
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In the distance, sirens wailed through the night—state police cruisers speeding down the south road.
Daniel lay in the mud, crying like a child, as the rain washed the filth from his face.
