Infidelity?” His voice sliced me to the bone. “No, Zoe. These conditions have always existed and they will always exist, fertilized by those like myself who are more than willing to help spread destruction.”
My body shook with the reality of his words. I was mortal. When my life ended, my efforts to help my family would go with me. No, they wouldn’t.
I knew for myself that guardians were there to help. That evil would never triumph over good.
“You’re wrong,” I said. Nothing Albert said or did could change an eternal truth. Surprise flashed over his face. He straightened. Had my conviction really been that powerful as to render him shocked?
His strong resemblance to Matthias reminded me of Matthias’ undying hope that someday his father would be redeemed. I marveled that Matthias could see a thread of decency somewhere in this lost soul standing in front of me.
I sighed. “Kudos to Matthias for thinking you can still be salvaged,”
I mumbled. “I’d have bailed on you by now.” I didn’t need to spend another second in Albert’s presence. This was my life. My home. I hadn’t invited Albert into it.
I turned and headed to the peace and safety of sleep that awaited me.
Blinding night surrounding me. Pine needles pierced my arms, my bare thighs. Frosty air sliced my naked skin like razorblades. Shivers erupted through my body in endless, voracious shudders from the soles of my feet to my head. I was naked. Running. Alone. In the forest.
Fallen pine needles carpeted the ground, their shards poking into the tender soles of my feet as I raced on, heart pounding against my ribs Albert’s heavy presence bore down on me, into me, an invisible, suffocating cloak of evil that kept pace with my frantic feet as if to torment me. His deep laugh strangled my throat, the sound fingering through the reaching branches of the towering evergreens disappearing into the midnight sky overhead.
“You can’t outrun me, Zoe.”
I yearned to cover myself. Survival forced priority: run. Branches slapped my cheeks. Skin stung. Feet ached. Breath slowly evaporated. How long I darted through evergreens and spindly aspens I don’t know. My body bled. Couldn’t breathe fast enough. Muscles began to shut down, each pulling tight in rebellion as if to scream: I’m finished.
Albert’s laugh rang around me, filling the quiet eeriness.
I pushed on, forcing my legs to keep going. Couldn’t feel them anymore. Not even the sharp prickling of needles beneath my feet.
“Give yourself to me.”
I jerked upright.
My lids opened. What day is it? Had I slept?
Sleep lured me, but the thought of returning to the awful nightmare pricked me to complete wakefulness. I scrubbed my face, relieved I’d only dreamed the horrifying scene. A bone-wracking shudder overtook me. I thought I was safe in sleep. Had Albert invaded my dream? Or was overwhelming stress clamping its jaws in my subconscious? I couldn’t take it.
If only I could bail on school and catch up on sleep . The last few days had taken a toll—more than a toll— I was exhausted.
I reached for my cell phone. Five calls from Chase. One message from him. Three texts from Krissy. Another from Weston.
luv u
Seeing Weston’s message soothed my crimped nerves a little, but the eeriness of the nightmare clung to me like black spirits clung to their hosts, and I glanced over my shoulder just to make sure one of the grotesque creatures hadn’t latched onto me.
I texted Weston back: u 2 even though he’d texted me that he loved me hours ago. I didn’t care. The words sent a fresh flurry of birds in my stomach.
Prom was coming. Would we go together? I couldn’t wait to see him, and a familiar excitement tingled in my blood thinking about being with him.
I opened Krissy’s texts next:
your brother is nice
he is sweet
does he have a girlfriend?
I smiled.
Chase’s message was typically enthusiastic: “Call me when you can.
Or, we can meet at Starbucks.” It
My body shook with the reality of his words. I was mortal. When my life ended, my efforts to help my family would go with me. No, they wouldn’t.
I knew for myself that guardians were there to help. That evil would never triumph over good.
“You’re wrong,” I said. Nothing Albert said or did could change an eternal truth. Surprise flashed over his face. He straightened. Had my conviction really been that powerful as to render him shocked?
His strong resemblance to Matthias reminded me of Matthias’ undying hope that someday his father would be redeemed. I marveled that Matthias could see a thread of decency somewhere in this lost soul standing in front of me.
I sighed. “Kudos to Matthias for thinking you can still be salvaged,”
I mumbled. “I’d have bailed on you by now.” I didn’t need to spend another second in Albert’s presence. This was my life. My home. I hadn’t invited Albert into it.
I turned and headed to the peace and safety of sleep that awaited me.
Blinding night surrounding me. Pine needles pierced my arms, my bare thighs. Frosty air sliced my naked skin like razorblades. Shivers erupted through my body in endless, voracious shudders from the soles of my feet to my head. I was naked. Running. Alone. In the forest.
Fallen pine needles carpeted the ground, their shards poking into the tender soles of my feet as I raced on, heart pounding against my ribs Albert’s heavy presence bore down on me, into me, an invisible, suffocating cloak of evil that kept pace with my frantic feet as if to torment me. His deep laugh strangled my throat, the sound fingering through the reaching branches of the towering evergreens disappearing into the midnight sky overhead.
“You can’t outrun me, Zoe.”
I yearned to cover myself. Survival forced priority: run. Branches slapped my cheeks. Skin stung. Feet ached. Breath slowly evaporated. How long I darted through evergreens and spindly aspens I don’t know. My body bled. Couldn’t breathe fast enough. Muscles began to shut down, each pulling tight in rebellion as if to scream: I’m finished.
Albert’s laugh rang around me, filling the quiet eeriness.
I pushed on, forcing my legs to keep going. Couldn’t feel them anymore. Not even the sharp prickling of needles beneath my feet.
“Give yourself to me.”
I jerked upright.
My lids opened. What day is it? Had I slept?
Sleep lured me, but the thought of returning to the awful nightmare pricked me to complete wakefulness. I scrubbed my face, relieved I’d only dreamed the horrifying scene. A bone-wracking shudder overtook me. I thought I was safe in sleep. Had Albert invaded my dream? Or was overwhelming stress clamping its jaws in my subconscious? I couldn’t take it.
If only I could bail on school and catch up on sleep . The last few days had taken a toll—more than a toll— I was exhausted.
I reached for my cell phone. Five calls from Chase. One message from him. Three texts from Krissy. Another from Weston.
luv u
Seeing Weston’s message soothed my crimped nerves a little, but the eeriness of the nightmare clung to me like black spirits clung to their hosts, and I glanced over my shoulder just to make sure one of the grotesque creatures hadn’t latched onto me.
I texted Weston back: u 2 even though he’d texted me that he loved me hours ago. I didn’t care. The words sent a fresh flurry of birds in my stomach.
Prom was coming. Would we go together? I couldn’t wait to see him, and a familiar excitement tingled in my blood thinking about being with him.
I opened Krissy’s texts next:
your brother is nice
he is sweet
does he have a girlfriend?
I smiled.
Chase’s message was typically enthusiastic: “Call me when you can.
Or, we can meet at Starbucks.” It
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