Page 102 of The Quiet Tenant

The woman in the house

He explains things to you.

“There’s going to be a party,” he says, as if he and Cecilia haven’t already discussed it in front of you. As if you can hear things only when he wants you to hear them.

You nod.

“People are going to come. Here. In the front yard. They’re not going to go inside. You hear me?”

You tell him you do.

“You’ll be here,” he says, meaning the bedroom.

No surprise there,you want to say, but instead you nod again.

“We’ll do things as usual.”

“Got it,” you say.

He fingers the handcuffs.

“Tell me your name.”

You think,This again?but your brain knows what to do. Words have a special power when they keep you alive.

You are Rachel. He found you.

“My name is Rachel,” you tell him, and a weight lifts from your chest. Like you have been lying and just now came back to the truth.

All you know is what he has taught you. All you have is what he has given you.

He doesn’t need to ask for the rest.

“I moved here recently. I needed somewhere to stay, and you offered me a room.”

He nods. Grabs you by the shoulders, fingers drilling into your skin, pushing against the muscles underneath. Embedding himself into you.

“You will not scream,” he tells you. “You will not say or do anything. If you do, I’ll take you to the woods. This will end for good.”

“I understand,” you say.

“Good.” Then, just to make sure the message is clear: “You will be quiet. You will not make a sound.”

You nod one more time.

You’re not lying. He’s right.

You won’t.

CHAPTER 70

Number nine

He had the gall to look scared of me.

Him. Scared. Ofme.

I don’t know what he was expecting.

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