Page 71 of Heal For Me

Ash

Darkness is heavy around me. Thunder booms in the distance, and rain is like needles on my face. Looking around, I see nothing.

“Hello?” I shout. The storm would clue me into being outside, but the lack of lighting is throwing me off. I can’t see a foot in front of me, it’s so dark.

“Help me.”

Who is that? I spin around but come up empty-handed. With the rain and the thunder, I can’t tell which direction it came from.

“Hello?”

“Help me, Daddy.”

. . . Payson? It doesn’t sound like Payson but she’s the only person who has ever called me that.

“I can’t see you.”

“Help me, Daddy.”

I pick a direction and take off. The ground, although I can’t see it, is mush, and my feet stick with every step. The little girl cries again, and I run for I don’t know how long until eventually I break into a familiar field. It’s still dark, but I can see the broken-down swing set in the background and a light post.

And Payson.

I think.

I can only just see the outline of her. She’s yards away, and by the time I get closer, the storm rages harder. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

But she doesn’t acknowledge me. Now that I’m closer and the lightning is lighting up the dark sky, I see her back is to me.

“Pay.” I touch her shoulder, and her head turns.

I jump back and my stomach lurches. She’s covered in blood. More than I’ve ever seen. Head-to-toe thick blood coats her body.

“You couldn’t save me.”

“Help me, Daddy!”

I shoot a look at the small voice.

“But save our daughter, Ash.”

Our daughter? Payson smiles, and my blood runs cold. I didn’t notice, or they weren’t like that before, but her eyes are solid black and . . . soulless.

“Save her, Ash. Save her like you couldn’t save me. Don’t be late . . . this time.”

“Daddy! Help me!” The little girl’s, I guess my . . . daughter’s, voice is so scared. I can’t see her, but wherever she is, I know she’s terrified.

No matter how far I run, I can’t see her. The moment I get close to the voice, it changes direction and is yards away again.

My body is exhausted and eventually my feet give out and I fall to my knees. A scream builds in my chest, and I tilt my head back and let it out.

Deafness falls on my ears. The storm still rages, but I can’t hear it. I can’t hear anything. I scream again, testing it, and sure enough, there is nothing.

Panicked, I look around. For what, I don’t know. For once, it’s not Payson I want to see right now.

What the fuck is happening?

Something touches my back, and I whip around and fall to my ass, as a small girl stands in front of me, out of reach.

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