Page 91 of Drag You Down
Gabriel would claim I’m innocent, too, but I’ve sinned so grievously.
Eve hasn’t.
“She tried to argue against me,” Father Zachariah says. “She wanted to follow you and bring you back. I couldn’t allow your taint to spread to her soul.”
He takes another step closer to me, and I cling to the staircase railing. If I move, I’ll trip down the stairs.
“She doesn’t deserve this!” I say fiercely, surprising myself with my own vehemence.
No one does.
“She’s my sister, and I love her, and she loves me,” I tell him. “And we’re going to take her away from you so you can’t ever hurt her again.”
So he can’t ever hurt either of us again.
Father Zachariah‘s expression gets meaner, uglier. “You can’t have her. She’smywife. After all the money I wasted keeping you and your sister clothed and housed and fed, it’s the least she can do for me.”
My mouth drops open in shock. “The least she can…” I trail off, shaking my head. “That’s not how this works. You don’t get to claim her like that. We’ve done everything for you, everything you’ve ever asked.”
I glance down the stairs, and the dark threatens to swallow me whole as I stare into the void. Gabriel is down there with Eve. They’re going to be safe.
I’m going to be safe.
I only need to stall.
“Everybody here belongs to me,” Father Zachariah says, his voice growing louder. “You listen tome. My word is God’s! Now go upstairs and ready yourself for penance, boy.”
“No.” I spit the word with more venom than I’ve ever addressed anyone with. “I won’t. I won’t do it. Not for you. You’re a false prophet. You cast me out, and it’s the best thing you could’ve ever done for me.”
If he goes downstairs and sees Eve—or maybe worse, if Eve sees him—I know things will get bad. I need to lead him away from here.
I take the single step back onto the first-floor hall and snarl at him. “I’m going to report you. To… to the police.”
Zachariah’s eyes widen. “What would you report, boy? That you lived with me for free? That I nurtured you? Cared for you?”
“I think my back says otherwise,” I say, my voice steadier than I could’ve thought possible. “It’s not nurturing someone if you’re hurting them.”
Harming them.
Gabriel had tried to explain the difference between what Zachariah had done and the spanking, but I hadn’t understood until right now.
I take another few steps back, ignoring the rising panic that comes from both the dim light of the first floor and the fact that I’m defying the man I’ve spent the past eight years obeying.
I can see it in his eyes when he realizes the mistake he made. He lunges toward me, but I evade him. “You will keep your mouth shut,” he hisses.
I shake my head and start running, Zachariah fast on my heels. For an old man, he’s surprisingly fit. Maybe all the whipping keeps him in shape, I think hysterically.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he shouts.
I spot Gabriel coming up the basement stairs. Eve is leaning against him, looking haggard. Her dress is soiled, and she can barely walk.
If Zachariah turns around, he’ll see them.
“Away from you!” I shout. “I’ll let the whole world know who you are, Zachariah Carpenter—or maybe Joshua Baker, or Gil Smith, or whatever other fucking name you’ve used!”
I can’t believe I cursed.
It works though. Zachariah keeps coming for me, and I lunge through the front door. He dashes after me.
