I held her hand a little tighter.
“Where was he?”
“Near the truck.”
She raised her eyes.
“He was coming toward us.”
“What happened next?”
“I tried telling Mr. Frank.”
My chest grew tight.
“What exactly did you say?”
“I told him, ‘That’s him.’”
She brushed her sleeve across her face.
“Mr. Frank told me to stay behind him.”
I remembered Frank moving into the aisle.
And Ellie stopping suddenly at the top of the staircase.
“What happened after that?” I asked.
“The man got closer.”
“Did he say anything?”
“I couldn’t understand him.”
She inhaled slowly.
“Then Mr. Frank closed the doors.”
I nodded gently.
“And I watched you running.”
Her voice began trembling.
“I thought that man might hurt you.”
I wrapped my arms around her.
“Oh, Ellie.”
“I kept trying to tell you to look behind you.”
I shut my eyes.
The memory returned with painful clarity.
