Page 2 of Satan's Son

Chapter 1

“Up.”My eyes fluttered open, settling on a man standing over me and then I was pulled from the ground.Where the hell am I?The question ripped through my mind as I was forced from the ground onto my feet.

“Join the line.’’ A rough man pushed me toward a large line twisting up a tall staircase, which cast dark shadows across the room.

“Where am I?” I asked the man.

He rolled his eyes and then pushed me again toward the line. “No questions,” he snapped.

I turned around to face the large line. Everyone seemed…silent. I frowned and spun around again. “WhereamI?”

The man’s back tensed and then he slowly turned around to face me. His eyes narrowed, and he pointed a finger at me, saying something under his breath.

I opened my mouth and tried to repeat myself, but nothing came out. My eyes widened, and the man looked amused as I attempted to talk.

“I told you no questions. Now shut up and join the line.’’ With a smug look, he turned his back to me. “Not that you have a choice now.”

I opened my mouth again and nothing came out.Oh, my God, I’m mute!

Panic boiled in my stomach and then exploded through my body. I was mute! I had so many words to say, so many conversations left in me, and nownothing!How was I going to talk? How was I going to…?

I joined the line. How could I snap at people if I couldn’t speak? My shoulders dropped. My life was officially over. I was in a weird place and now had no voice. Maybe it was a trick. I opened my mouth and attempted to speak and still nothing.

“Next.” My eyes snapped open. When had I reached the top of the staircase? How long had I been panicking?

My eyes were on the men seated at a long table in front of me. “Next!” the one in the middle snapped.

Someone pushed me, and I stumbled forward into an open space. My eyes narrowed as I took in the one who’d spoken. So hot. His brown hair fell across his forehead evenly, his jaw was strong, and I could only see his upper body but his shoulders were broad. Two other men sat on either side of him, bored expressions on their faces.

“Addison Pearl Myers….” The young, good-looking man stopped abruptly. His eyes snapped up from the open book in front of him and met mine.

How did he know my name?

A shocked expression covered his face. Why was he shocked? I was the one who didn’t know where I was or who he was. How did he know my name? No one said my full name except Dad – when he was mad at me.

I took in the piles of books that surrounded the table and the walls around the low-lit room. They were everywhere, stacked around the room in messy piles.

Where am I?

The young man’s eyes narrowed as he studied me for a moment. Then he cleared his throat and muttered something under his breath that I didn’t catch.

“Addison Pearl Myers, you have—”

“How do you know my name?” My eyes widened. “Hey, my voice is back!” A few people standing to the side shot me bored looks.

The young man let out an annoyed sigh. “Don’t interrupt.” He glanced back down at the book, then looked me in the eyes. “As I was saying, Addison Pearl Myers, you have been—”

“Why do you keep saying my name?” My eyes narrowed at his forest green ones, which were locked with mine. “And again, how do you know it?”

“Stop interrupting me!” he snapped, clenching his jaw. “Would you just let me give you your sentence?”

“Sentence? What sentence?” I placed a hand on my hip. “And why are you the one giving it?” He didn’t look old enough to be giving out French fries, let alone orders.

He brought two curled fists down hard on the table in front of him. “Interrupt one more time, and I will put the gag back on.”

“Gag? What gag? What do you mean you will pu—” My voice dried up in the middle of the sentence and my eyes snapped wide with terror; it was gone! My hands automatically wrapped around my throat.

“You were warned.” The young man let out another annoyed sigh. “Now. Addison Pearl Myers, you’re charged with the following… failure to respect your elders, swearing, lying…” He stopped for a moment and gave me an amused smirk. “Arson, theft, and public damage.”

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