Page 89 of Cowboy Heat

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Blood is on it.

Blood is on me.

Macy is at the top of the stairs, and he has the bat now. Deaton is yelling. I don’t know from where. Kilpatrick is with him, but I can’t see him either. Jesse too.

Dawn is peeking around the corner. She’s not supposed to be here.

“You’re bleeding,” Maximus says.

“It’s not my blood,” I say back.

We keep going down the stairs.

I can’t see her, but I can hear her.

Breathing heavy.

Breathing deep.

The Girl Beneath the Floorisn’t crying, but she makes a lot of noise when Maximus unlocks the chain.

Everything is loud, and the cops are mad now.

Ray is yelling.

Deaton is bleeding.

Everything is blurry.

I’m in the basement again.

There’s a heavy door in front of me. It has a big crack running through it. I know I can’t make the thing budge.

A chain is on my ankle.

Sarah Tate is sitting next to me. “Where are you?” she asks.

I try to scream but nothing comes out.

I’m dreaming.

Sarah’s crying.

I’m dreaming.

I’m crying.

There’s fire, and my skin is burning.

Everything hurts.

I’m going to be sick.

I’m—

I’m dreaming.

I try to wake up.

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