the mirror, almost unable to recognize herself. It was still her face, but she looked so different with lighter, shorter hair. To her surprise, the haircut actually looked almost professional.
Chester directed her to the kitchen to make sandwiches. He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels, landing on the news. The newscasters were discussing a missing person. Then her latest school photo flashed on the screen.
Macy's heart skipped a beat, and then it raced.
He changed the station to some western movie. He turned to her as though nothing had happened. "Put plenty of meat on my sandwich."
She nodded, and went to the fridge to see what she could put on the sandwiches. Shaking, she pulled out all vegetables for hers. Once those were on the counter, she found stuff he wanted: lunch meats, mayo, and cheese. She didn't see any vegan mayo, so she'd have to use the one made with egg.
If she could even eat. She was still shaking from the shock of seeing her face—and old hairstyle—on the news. Did that mean her family knew she hadn't really run away? Or were they treating her case as a missing runaway? She'd barely heard anything before Chester changed the station.
Macy took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She was going to spill something if she didn't. She spread the four pieces of bread on the counter and organized everything else. Once her hands were steady, she made his sandwich. Then she cut the cucumbers and everything else she needed for hers.
She put the food away, and then put the sandwiches on plates. She took them to the table before grabbing some grapes and chips, setting those in the middle of the table. Hopefully that would meet his expectations.
She sat down, hoping he wouldn't notice. But he did. He got up and sat next to her. "This looks great. You always make a great lunch, Heather."
Macy shrugged, not looking up. She bit into her sandwich, trying to ignore the strong taste of non-vegan mayo. It assaulted her taste buds, but she knew that was the least of her problems.
Her family was actually looking for her, but they had no idea where she was. She didn't even know.
Chester stood up. "When you're done, it'll be time to clean up. You can clean the kitchen and living room. I'm going to go back and clean the bathroom and your grandparents' room."
Was he actually going to leave her alone?
Macy waited, expecting him to return or something else to happen. There was no way that he would leave her in the big, open front part of the house…was there? Unless it was some kind of test to see if she would listen. She looked around for a hidden camera, but couldn't see anything.
Her heart started racing. Was this her chance to get away, or would she end up back in the barn? He wouldn't do that, though. He was too eager for her to meet his parents.
She tip-toed into the hallway leading to the front door. He was down the other hall, near the bedrooms.
"Did you need something?" he asked.
"No. I was looking for something, but I…don't see it." She hurried back into the living room. Going through the front door wasn't going to work. If she went that way again and he was still there testing her, he would definitely know something was up.
Macy wandered around the living room, looking at the pictures again. His parents looked like nice, happy people, but they had raised him, so who knew? They could be monsters, too. She looked at another picture of Heather. It was unnerving, because the picture could have been Macy—especially with the new haircut and color.
The house was still quiet. She looked around at the big windows. If she was able to open one and get outside, she should be able to get enough of a head start to get away. It didn't matter that she had no idea where she was. She could figure it out when she found a road.
Holding her breath, she looked around. She couldn't see anything stopping her. The windows weren't locked down. This was her chance, and she had to take it right then. Who
Chester directed her to the kitchen to make sandwiches. He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels, landing on the news. The newscasters were discussing a missing person. Then her latest school photo flashed on the screen.
Macy's heart skipped a beat, and then it raced.
He changed the station to some western movie. He turned to her as though nothing had happened. "Put plenty of meat on my sandwich."
She nodded, and went to the fridge to see what she could put on the sandwiches. Shaking, she pulled out all vegetables for hers. Once those were on the counter, she found stuff he wanted: lunch meats, mayo, and cheese. She didn't see any vegan mayo, so she'd have to use the one made with egg.
If she could even eat. She was still shaking from the shock of seeing her face—and old hairstyle—on the news. Did that mean her family knew she hadn't really run away? Or were they treating her case as a missing runaway? She'd barely heard anything before Chester changed the station.
Macy took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She was going to spill something if she didn't. She spread the four pieces of bread on the counter and organized everything else. Once her hands were steady, she made his sandwich. Then she cut the cucumbers and everything else she needed for hers.
She put the food away, and then put the sandwiches on plates. She took them to the table before grabbing some grapes and chips, setting those in the middle of the table. Hopefully that would meet his expectations.
She sat down, hoping he wouldn't notice. But he did. He got up and sat next to her. "This looks great. You always make a great lunch, Heather."
Macy shrugged, not looking up. She bit into her sandwich, trying to ignore the strong taste of non-vegan mayo. It assaulted her taste buds, but she knew that was the least of her problems.
Her family was actually looking for her, but they had no idea where she was. She didn't even know.
Chester stood up. "When you're done, it'll be time to clean up. You can clean the kitchen and living room. I'm going to go back and clean the bathroom and your grandparents' room."
Was he actually going to leave her alone?
Macy waited, expecting him to return or something else to happen. There was no way that he would leave her in the big, open front part of the house…was there? Unless it was some kind of test to see if she would listen. She looked around for a hidden camera, but couldn't see anything.
Her heart started racing. Was this her chance to get away, or would she end up back in the barn? He wouldn't do that, though. He was too eager for her to meet his parents.
She tip-toed into the hallway leading to the front door. He was down the other hall, near the bedrooms.
"Did you need something?" he asked.
"No. I was looking for something, but I…don't see it." She hurried back into the living room. Going through the front door wasn't going to work. If she went that way again and he was still there testing her, he would definitely know something was up.
Macy wandered around the living room, looking at the pictures again. His parents looked like nice, happy people, but they had raised him, so who knew? They could be monsters, too. She looked at another picture of Heather. It was unnerving, because the picture could have been Macy—especially with the new haircut and color.
The house was still quiet. She looked around at the big windows. If she was able to open one and get outside, she should be able to get enough of a head start to get away. It didn't matter that she had no idea where she was. She could figure it out when she found a road.
Holding her breath, she looked around. She couldn't see anything stopping her. The windows weren't locked down. This was her chance, and she had to take it right then. Who
Similar Books
