Page 106 of Eldritch

His eyes brightened, and he chuckled.

“I mean...” She smiled, but it disappeared fast. “It isn't good to wish anyone harm, but with him I just...”

“I get it. He is a dangerous man.”

“True. And I hate that he made me feel vulnerable. I absolutely despise it.”

He crossed his arms. “I’m sure you could hold your own against him.”

She scoffed. “How?” She lifted her arms. “I’m not actually the most in shape forty-year-old you’ve ever met. Sure, I do a lot of exercise cleaning houses, but that doesn’t make up for staring at the exercise bike in my house and never using it.”

That small smile came again, this time with a hint of teasing in it. “Considering everything you’ve gone through in your life, you’re tougher than you think. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

Appreciation hit her again. “Thanks.”

Silence stretched a moment before he said, “I’ve always been good at assessing people, Sybil. Cop sense, I guess. I recognize a tough person when I see them. You’re tough and capable.”

Heat blossomed in her face. “Thanks. It feels good to hear it, even if I don’t believe it.”

He shook his head. “Well, believe this. My stomach is growling. I was thinking of raiding the refrigerator.”

Glad he’d changed the subject, she said, “Letisha was going to check on the others and see if they wanted dinner.”

A short time later the other women came down and joined Sybil and Doug in the kitchen. Clarice insisted on making them a quick chicken soup recipe which in actuality took over an hour to make.

Meanwhile they sat around the kitchen table and conversed. Doug explained how the security system no longer worked because the Internet and cellular service had tanked.

Sybil noted the edge of panic on Maria’s face, but the others didn’t seem as disconcerted by the news, expecting it with the weather.

Once Clarice served the soup, their conversation peppered with everything from current events to Clarice regaling them tales with of the good old days.

Sybil recalled times her parents had done the same when she was in high school, making her crazy with long monologues about something in their school days she’d heard innumerable times. The golden days, her father would say. When all stayed right with the world and nothing bad happened in it. She’d never believed a word of it and had told him so once after he made a statement once that women had stepped out of line and no longer understood their place.

Women need to be broken, Sybil. Broken like a horse until they understand.

She’d seen red so bright and fierce she’d almost screamed at him. She’d struggled with it, almost giving into the heat. Instead she’d spoken softly. Clearly.

Bullshit. Bullshit dad. It is all crap and there’s so much of it in this house, it is stuck on the bottom of my shoes every day when I walk out of here and go to school.

The shock on his face had been worth almost everything that had come after.

That had earned her a week of his ridicule and her mother’s cold indifference. She’d never said anything about their good ole days conversations again. The satisfaction on her father’s face as he’d looked at her…as he’d stared at her whenever he shared the stories, made her flesh crawl and a burning anger boil high inside her.

“Sybil? Earth to Sybil?” Letisha said.

Sybil snapped out of her memories. “I’m here.”

Sybil caught Doug’s curious look, but he didn’t say anything.

Later, after everyone had pitched in to clean the dishes, Doug said,” I’ll camp out in the office to see if I can bring the security system back online.”

Clarice said as she settled down at the kitchen table again. “What? No. There are a ton of rooms upstairs you could sleep in.”

“No, that’s okay,” he said firmly but with a smile. “I can camp on the couch.”

Clarice frowned but didn’t argue. “If you insist.”

Sybil started toward the door. “Let's grab you those pillows and blankets.”

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