Page 109 of Malachi
“You’re lying,” Ruth all but spat at him. I glanced at her, feeling like everything was moving in slow motion. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her brow furrowed as she all but exuded violence towards the man.
“I’m not, but it doesn’t really matter what you think,” the Reverend shrugged off.
“And why is that?” Delilah muttered quietly.
“Because you’ll join them soon.”
As he spoke, he reached under his jacket behind his back, and pulled out a wicked-looking pistol. He leveled it at the group of us.
“On your knees, ladies.” His grin was a mask of evil delight as he waved for the rest of us to join Talia and Delilah, who were already kneeling in the underbrush.
Naomi gave a terrified wail, and moved to join them, but Ruth seemed frozen in place, staring at the gun being waved in our direction. I stood still as well, my fight-or-flight instinct still screaming at me to run, to get out, to escape somehow. Tears stung my eyes, making my vision blur and streak as I imagined my new sisters, my family, being gunned down by this monster of a man.
The Reverend barked his order again, louder this time. “I said KNEEL!” This time, Ruth obeyed, moving cautiously to join the rest of them. However, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. I could hardly see through my tears. How could I save them? What could one girl do against six men, one of whom had a gun?
“Fine, have it your way, bitch,” the Reverend said with a sneer. I watched in horror through my tears as he leveled the gun at Ruth. Time slowed. Then it stopped.
The sound of a gunshot rang through the trees.
Ruth screamed and collapsed.
Birds scattered from the treetops.
And I ran. I heard the Reverend screaming for me to stop, and the sound of more shots being fired. I just kept running, not daring to look back. Not daring to glimpse the scene of carnage I was sure I was leaving behind me.
CHAPTER26
EDEN
It burned. Worse than fire, worse than a thousand bee stings, every breath I took burned my lungs. The muscles of my legs felt like they were actively ripping away, pulling tendon and sinew from the bone with every leaping step I took as I raced forward.
Just a little further.
Just a few more steps.
Tears blurred my vision as my steps began to falter.
CRUNCH!
I bit down hard on my lip as my ankle gave way, sending me plummeting to the ground in a rolling heap.
I held my breath, trying to stifle a groan of pain as I held my ankle.
There was no way he hadn’t heard that.
He was on my trail. Close.
Too close.
And I was too slow.
My eyes darted around, taking in my surroundings.
Think, Eden. Think!
I was hurt. My shoe was digging into my ankle, where it was already swelling. I needed to avoid putting weight on it, but I didn’t have that luxury right now. He would find me if I stayed here.
I spotted an outcropping of rocks, a little bigger than the one I had just tripped over. It looked just big enough to hide me, especially if I ducked down far enough. Or maybe I could just keep going. If I gritted my teeth hard enough and —
