Page 16 of Finish Line

Frank eyes narrow. “He’s here, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth.

Maybe I’m stronger than I think. It all makes sense now. Why I’m not a blank slate and why I can see everything. It’s because Roger doesn’t have full control of me.

“Is it you, Shelby?’ Frank eyebrow shoots up.

“Who else would it be?” Dom comes to stand by Frank.

I give him a thumbs up. It’s throbbing right now, and every time I answer, it gets worse.

“Go.” I point to Dom and Mav and barely get out the word, “Danger,” before I crumble to the ground, grabbing my head.

“Shelby, I can’t let you go. You look like shit. You’ve lost so much weight.” Frank kneels down next to me. He runs his hand over my hair.

“Cam?” I force it out.

“Frank, what the hell are you doing?” Dom says angrily.

Frank doesn’t take his eyes off me. “Dom, go back to your room.”

I frown, then I close my eyes. “Rat…”

He shakes his head, not understanding me.

I use the chair to get up. “Rat.”

I make a circle all around with my hand. He has to understand!

“Yeah, you’re a rat,” Dom growls, glaring at me with hatred.

His words shouldn’t hurt, but they do, and a single tear leaks out to trail down my cheek.

“Dom, shut up and leave her alone,” Mav says from the doorway. “Don’t tell—” He cuts off and grabs his head.

I open my eyes and glance at Mav. God, I miss him.

He wraps his arms around himself. He doesn’t seem to hate me as much as Dom does.

“I can’t let you go.” Frank grabs my wrist and helps me stand.

I stare at him. “Kill.” I move my eyes to Dom, then Mav. This is the only way I can think of getting through to him. At least, I hope I can.

Frank doesn’t say anything. He just releases my wrist.

I stumble my way down the hallway, leaving everything behind.

“Why the fuck would you let her go?” Dom yells.

“You’ll understand soon enough” Frank replies.

Roger taps his foot, waiting for me. He has a long tube with him.

His eyes look for the bag he gave me. “You got caught? Damn you!”

He grabs my wrist and drags me back through the woods.

When we reach the car, he throws me in it, then the tube into the backseat. He stomps his way around to the driver’s side, then he sits down. He opens the arm rest, pulls out a syringe, and stabs me in my neck.

---