“Stupid, useless girl. What did we even get you for?” he screamed at me.
Most of the times Terrance or Richard put me in the closet, they would let me out after a few hours. They would remind me of how I had misbehaved, and then made me promise never to make those same mistakes again.
This time felt different. As the minutes turned into hours and the hours into a whole afternoon, I wondered if they had forgotten about me. I brushed the hair out of my face, which had been matted with sweat. I felt my eyelids droop, and I knew there wasn’t a lot of time before the darkness came for me again. I couldn’t help but think of The Void. I was trapped once again. I reached a sluggish hand up and began to trace slash marks against the back of my hand.
Sharon.
Eric.
Louisa.
Emma.
James.
Myself.
Henry.
Stephanie.
I forced my eyes open and managed to get myself to my knees. If I had to, I would use whatever strength I had left to kick down the door. I wouldn’t go out like this; I would make some sort of stand for the people I loved. With a grunt, I felt around the black void for something to help pull me up.
And then there was the brightness. It was so strong that I fell backward, knocking my head against the wall. My eyes slammed shut, trying to protect themselves from the new light battling the darkness that had successfully lulled them into submission.
In front of me stood the last person I had ever expected to come and rescue me—George.
The chosen one who had nearly ruined my life crouched in front of me and held out his arms to help me up. I gathered every bit of strength that hid within my muscles, balled up my fist, and let it fly straight for his face. My punch didn’t seem to do any damage to the chosen one in front of me, but it caused me to fall straight back on my ass.
“I wouldn’t suggest you do that again,” George said, reprimanding me like I was a naughty little girl in the schoolroom.
I punched him again.
And when that still didn’t make me feel better, I pulled back my fist once more. This time, George caught it in his hand before the hit landed. “I said stop,” he growled.
“Actually you didn’t,” I panted. “You suggested I didn’t do it again.”
“See, that’s the kind of attitude that gets you locked in a closet,” he said. “Now, would you like me to let you out or not?”
“Why the hell would you help me?”
“Oh, Tessie. Don’t you remember our fun little meeting in the woods? I whispered that I couldn’t wait for you to join me. That you’d help me. And here you are.” He grinned.
I had always hated that damn grin.
“Now, how can you help me stuck in here?” he continued.
“I have no intention of helping you,” I said. “I remember everything about our little meeting in the woods. I remember how you killed McNair. I remember how you returned my sister to me pregnant. I remember how you took James from me.”
George placed a hand over his chest. “Are you implying I treated you unfairly? I killed that grizzly man because he was about to attack me. And if there is one thing I know you understand about this world, it’s kill or be killed. In regards to your sister, I returned her, didn’t I? It’s not my fault she couldn’t keep her hands off me.”
I opened my mouth to scream every obscenity I knew at the creature in front of me, but George clamped his hand over my mouth. “And as for James? I needed him here, too.”
“Where is he?”
“Closer than you think, actually. I can bring him to you. I bet you won’t mind my help out of this mess now, will you?” he asked, reaching his hand down for me again.
When he touched me, his eyes widened. It was only for a second, but a shudder ran through my body. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much he still unnerved me. Once I was out of the closet, I sucked in as much oxygen as I could possibly get. The rush of air through my lungs caused me to feel a bit dizzy.
Once I had gained my composure, I looked up at George. “You know, Terrance wouldn’t like it that you let me out of here.”
“Terrance is the one who called me here, my dear,” he whispered in my ear. “Seems he doesn’t like the merchandise. Wants to return you. Considering that would mean your death, and the fact that you are exactly where I need you, I figured it was about time I stepped in.”
“Why would Terrance call you?”
“I’m the one they call when there is something wrong with the girls. I’ve been assigned to finance. Sort of helpful to have a man around who can read every secret ever hidden, especially when it comes to money.”
I had forgotten about George’s gift. I pulled my hand from his grasp. With a simple touch, he would know everything I kept hidden inside of myself. George chuckled beside me and ushered me into the study where Terrance sat on the couch, pouting.