Page 199 of Releasing 10
Or maybe I pushed myself?
What if the scary lady was putting bad thoughts in my head?
“Can I give you a hug?” I heard Gibsie ask, distracting me from my frazzled thoughts. “Would that be okay?”
Sniffling, I nodded and watched him climb off his swing and walk over to me.
“I’m so sorry, Liz,” he croaked out, wrapping his arms around me. Numb, I rested my cheek on Gibsie’s shoulder. “I’m so, so fucking sorry.”
As I listened to him whisper the wordsorryover and over, I reached into my pocket and fisted the note.
Please help, I mentally begged, and then, whether it was real or not, I placed my last shred of hope in my friend’s coat pocket.Please save me.
“What are you two doing out here on your own?” a familiar voice said, causing every muscle in my body to lock tight.
The monster.
Clenching my eyes shut, I clung to the boy hugging me and prayed he wouldn’t let go.
Don’t let go, Gibs.
Please don’t let go.
Don’t leave me on my own with him.
“I’m hugging my friend,” Gibsie replied, tightening his arms around me. “Her sister just died. Iknowwhat that feels like.”
He was close.
I could smell his cologne.
I could feel words crawling out of my mind and onto my skin.
“Go back to the house, Gibson,”heinstructed. “I need to talk to my girlfriend’s sister.”
No, Gibs!
Don’t go.
Please don’t leave me.
“I, ah, I want to stay with her,” I heard my friend protest, but his voice shook almost as much as his body when he spoke. “Hugh had to go home for an hour, and he told me tostaywith Liz. He told menotto leave her.”
“Go inside. I’ll stay with her.”
No, no, no, no, no!
“But Hugh said—”
“Get your fucking hole back in the house or I’ll kick you in there.”
For a brief moment, when Gibsie squeezed me tighter, I felt a flicker of hope inside my chest, but then he released me and stepped back, causing that hope to snuff out.
He let go.
Fresh tears streamed down my cheeks as I watched him leave.
“You know you were holding your sister’s killer, don’t ya?”hemused, taking the seat on the swing next to mine. “It’s his fault this happened.”
