Page 62 of Pretty Little Fears

Ifeel a pang in my chest asIlook at the photo.Imiss her.Pullingmy gaze from the picture,Ilook at the letter.

MySunshineEmmett,

Ifyou find this letter that meansI’mno longer with you.I’mso sorry, my love.Pleaseknow thatIdid everythingIcould to keep you from that world.Mysweet boy, howIwishIcould see you now.Ihope your heart is still pure and full of love, and that art remains as an important piece of your life.

I’msorry for leaving you.Mypoor son,IwishIcould have stayed.IwishIcould have given you abetter life.Pleaseknow thatIlove you until my last breath, andIwill love you forever.Iam always right by your side, my sunshine.

-Mommy

Myjaw is clenching so hardIfeel as if my molars may crack from the pressure.Whatappears to be dried water droplets cover the paper.Shovingthe letter into my pocket, along with the photo,IpickBlair’sfile back up and start to put the floorboard back in its place soIcan get the fuck out of here.I'mstopped in my tracks when the voice behind all the missing students travels down the hall.

Tryingto get the floorboard back into place, it finally clicks asIstand up.Itake a step forward asJamesenters the room.Myspine stiffens and my free fist clenches.Helooks at me and slowly drags his eyes down to the file in my hand.Igo to move it from his sight but it's too late, he knows whose fileI'mholding and why.

Heknows thatIknow.

“Soyou’ve finally figured it out.Doyou know what happened to these other students,Emmett?Doyou know what we plan on doing?”

“Youwon’t lay a finger on her.I’llkill you myself.”Ispit out.

Helaughs mockingly and steps forward.Whenhe’s inches away,Ilunge forward, arms wrapping around his torso and driving him back into the wall.Wehit the wall with a hard thud, the pictures, and shelves rocking with the impact.Almostimmediately, he pushes me back.Weexchange hard blows that are laced with hatred and distaste, partly from having to be so close to one another.

Myknuckles are split open from striking him and blood drips, leaving a trail on his expensive wooden floors.JustasIlean in to attack again,I'mhit on the back of the head and my world goes black.Thelast thingIhear isJames’swretched voice in my ears. “Youstupid boy.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

BLAIR

I’mleavingmy economics class when an uneasy feeling settles in my stomach.Tryingto ignore it,Ipull my phone out of my pocket and click on my message thread withEmmett.Hehasn’t texted me back and he wasn't in class today.It'snot like him to ignore me or miss out on an opportunity to watch me, even if from the shadows.Maybethe feeling in my gut has to do withEmmettnot answering?

Inibble on my lip whileIstare at the phone, manifesting for a text to come through from him.Myeyes are laser-focused on the small screen in front of me andI'mnot paying much attention to my surroundings asIwalk back home.Suddenly, alarm shoots through me as the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Ireach for my mace when the feeling of a sharp sting hits my neck and a large hand abruptly covers my mouth.I’mpulled against a hard body asItry to scream behind the hand but it feelslike my voice is gone, the only screaming happening is in my head.

Itry to jerk from their hold, hopingIcan break free.ButI’min a nightmareIcan't wake up from.Mylimbs quickly give out and my vision begins to darken asIwill my body to fight off whatever was just injected into my bloodstream.

Unfortunately,Ilose the fight to the chemicals and my world goes black.

Myeyes startto flutter open as my surroundings begin to come into focus.Thepounding in my head feels like an entire marching band is playing every single instrument at once.Theroom is dark, butI’mable to make out certain shapes.

Iremain as still as possible and take in the place to gauge whereIcould possibly be.Idon't know where my kidnappers are butIdon't want to alert them thatI'mawake.I'mon a mattress that smells like copper and piss.

Myhands are tied in front of me with rope and my ankles are bound together just as tight.Tearsbegin to form in my eyes, butIblink them back whenIhear heavy footsteps coming toward the room.

Thedoor swings open, drowning the room in light.I’mmomentarily blinded until my eyes adjust to the change andI’mable to survey the room for an escape route.Twomen walk inside, both in their fifties based on the wrinkles that line their skin.

“Timeto wake upMs.Stirling.”Oneof them speaks in a low, guttural tone. “Yournew home awaits you.”

Iquickly sit up on the disgusting mattress and pull my feet to my chest.Ifthey want me to move they have to drag me out of here kicking and screaming.

Theystep closer and my heart rate accelerates.Theone who spoke reaches out to grab me and immediatelyIbegin thrashing my body.Mybound fists fly up and connect with a nose.Oneof the men stumbles back but the other one is on top of me in a second.Heholds me down while the first man gathers himself.Ithrash and buck under his grasp, but it’s no use,I’mfucking stuck.

Ibegin screaming at the top of my lungs whenIfeel a sharp pain spread throughout my scalp and my body begins sliding backward.I’mbeing dragged by my fucking hair.Lookingaround at the dirty walls and blood-streaked floor my heart falls to my feet.I’mnot in an alley under a car.I’mnot somewhere thatIcan quickly be found.

Ican’t callEmmettthis time.

Hecan’t save me.

Aswe enter another room, cast in bright light from the overhead fixture, the grip on my hair loosens as it’s released from the fist it was clenched in.It’splain white and smells like antiseptic and rubber gloves, similar to a doctor’s office.Mytears have threatened to fall butIhave managed to keep them from spilling over just yet.Inthe room, a single examination chair sits in the center and there's a small table attached with an array of tools.Isearch for answers, despite knowing they won’t help me.

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