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.Then Eve’s face flashed in my mind and fear returned.I stiffened.“Carter, I didn’t mean for Eve to die.You have to believe me.Please.”“I believe you, Aspen.”“So you’re not upset with me?”“Not at all.” He shook his head.“Please come back home with me and we can talk, okay?”“I don’t know.” I reached up, holding my head.“I’m confused.I don’t know what’s going on.”“I’m not going to hurt you, Aspen.You know that.” His hand grazed my cheek.“I would never hurt you.You trust me, right?”His eyes pierced mine, and I saw nothing but sincerity in them.I did trust him.I trusted him in a way I never trusted Kurt.When I got in Kurt’s car I ignored the funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, the little morsel of doubt.I never had that feeling with Carter.With Carter I had only felt peace.Plus, I wanted him to tell me how Kurt died.And I wanted to know more about Eve.So I nodded.When we got back to Carter’s, I sat on the couch and propped my feet up on his coffee table.“What happened to your feet?” Carter winced.“I couldn’t run in my heels.”“Shit,” he muttered under his breath.“I’ll be right back.”The truth was that I didn’t feel any pain.My adrenaline was still pumping through my veins, my mind was still buzzing.When Carter returned he had a wet rag and a first aid kit.He sat on the coffee table facing me.Then he gingerly picked up my leg, holding my ankle in his hand and slowly swabbed my foot with the rag.It stung a little, and I hissed through my teeth.“You okay?” He paused.I nodded, so he continued.After cleaning off both feet, he rubbed Neosporin over my cuts and then bandaged them.He treated me delicately, careful not to hurt me any further.It made me feel foolish for running off before.When he was finished, he looked at me from where he sat on the coffee table.“I want to show you something.” Jutting his arm out, he grabbed a framed picture from the end table next to the couch.He handed it to me.“This is my sister.Her name was Carly.My parents thought it would be cute if we had matching names.”I held the picture in my hand, staring down at the girl who looked so much like Carter.She had his same dark hair and eyes, same smug smile.“She was kidnapped from a grocery store.The police found her body a few days later just miles from the store.The man who took her was found that same week.He was sentenced to life, and he’s still behind bars,” he recited all of this as if he was reading an article.There was no emotion in his voice.It was monotone as he relayed the facts.I could tell it was his way of protecting himself.I understood all about that.As I pondered what he said, all the air left me like a popped tire.It fizzed out until I felt deflated, flat.I set the picture down, confused.“Then why do you have the pictures of Eve?”“Look at this.” Carter shoved a snapshot into my hand.“What do you see?”“Eve,” I answered.“What else?”Squinting, I studied her surroundings.The truth shocked me.“It’s my backyard.When was Eve in my backyard?”Carter sighed.“Aspen, this is a picture of you.”My body went hot.“What?”“That’s you.” He stood up, walking away from the couch.His briefcase was propped against the wall near the door, and he knelt beside it.Then he pulled out a laptop and carried it to the couch.After opening it, he typed in a few things and then flashed the screen in my direction.“See.This is the article about you.The picture is right there.”Even with reality staring me in the face, I had trouble believing it.“But it doesn’t make any sense.I was sure it was Eve.”Carter took my shaking hands in his.They calmed almost immediately from his touch.“Aspen, listen to me.Kurt only kidnapped you.There was no one else.”“But that’s not true.Eve was there.I know it.” The room spun around me.“I’m not crazy.”“I know you’re not.” Carter squeezed my hands.“Aspen, think for me.What really happened the day you escaped?”I couldn’t stay here another moment.For months I’d been working up the courage to escape.I knew I could do it.He was starting to trust me.My time outside of the room was growing.The last few weeks I’d made more of an effort to show him that I wouldn’t take advantage of an opportunity even if it presented itself.In fact, I’d been pretending to like it here.As ashamed as I am to admit it, I even started calling him dad.The word tasted like blood when I pushed it from my throat.Long afterwards the metallic taste would linger on my tongue, a reminder of my betrayal.In my mind I silently apologized to my real dad.The one who would never hurt me like this.The one who never touched me inappropriately or left bruises on my body.I knew I wouldn’t survive much longer.My body could only handle so much.I was tired of sleeping with one eye open, dreading the creak of the bedroom door.I was tired of fearing his footfalls on the stairs, the crack of his knuckles, the zipper on his pants, his thick fingers.When he let me out of my room that night I knew it was the last time.I walked out of it with finality, knowing I wasn’t going back in.Tonight I would fight to escape.And I would.One way or another.At this point heaven would be as welcome as the front door.Either way, by morning I wouldn’t be here.He had dinner ready.By the smell of it, I was guessing it wasn’t going to be appetizing.But I’d choke it down.It was all part of the plan.I ate in silence while he talked.About nothing.A bunch of words that meant nothing to me.Every time he opened his mouth, I hated him even more.I’d never felt so much hate.It poisoned my insides, until I felt nothing else.Just hate.Pure, unadulterated hatred.I imagined it to be like a heavy armor, thick over my body.I’d wear it proudly.It would help me get the hell out of here.I reached for my cup and drank the water quickly.Once I’d emptied the contents, I glanced up at him, an innocent smile on my face.“Can I get some more water?”“I’ll get it.” He started to push away from the table.Frustration burned through me.He was ruining my plan.“No.Really.I can do it.You worked so hard today.Just stay seated.”Suspicion flashed in his eyes, and I worried that I’d wrecked everything.Perhaps I was being too nice.“Okay.” He shrugged, reaching for his beer.When I glanced over at the garbage can, I realized that he’d already had several.His eyes were a little glazed over.A small smile threatened to jump out on my lips, but I kept it under wraps.This was going to be too easy.He clearly underestimated me.Standing from the table, I carried my glass to the counter.Then I opened the freezer and pulled out an ice tray.When he glanced over his shoulder, I popped a cube of ice out.Obviously satisfied, he turned back around.With my other hand, I fumbled for the nearest drawer, the one where he kept the knives.I knew right where it was because it was what he’d used to threaten me with on more than one occasion [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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