Page 130 of Kept in the Dark

Sara was on top of her and the two were exchanging blows. Hailey knew if she didn’t get free soon, Lauren could easily kill Sara. Her sister was on borrowed time and her adrenaline was the only thing keeping her alive.

Hailey rushed toward Ryan’s body in search of the knife so she could cut her restraints. But her footing was unsteady, and she came crashing down, her head hitting the floor with a loud crack. Her vision blurred and she saw stars but blinked them away.

Bam!

Hailey shrieked, “No!”

Hailey’s ears were ringing, and she heard muffled cries.

Lauren was lying on the floor next to Sara, both of them unmoving. Blood was everywhere and Trinity was standing over Lauren, gun in hand, shaking uncontrollably.

A loud thud came from the door as Trey barreled in, gun drawn, followed by Gavin.

Hailey pulled herself up and crawled to Ryan’s body, feeling for the knife that had been shoved under his body when he had dropped to the floor. Trey locked eyes with her, and she said, “I’m fine, but Trinity shot Lauren, and I don’t know if Sara is dead or alive.”

Gavin ran toward Sara as Trey holstered his weapon and slowly made his way to Trinity and gently put his hand on top of the gun that Trinity was holding. “Trinity, it’s Dad. Can you give me the gun?”

Her eyes were wide and hollow as she stared down at Lauren’s dead body, blood filling the cracks in the old wooden floor. The gun remained pointed at the monster she’d just killed.

“Trinity, look at me,” he said gently.

“I didn’t help Aunt Sara when Ryan attacked her. I couldn’t let Lauren kill her.” Trinity finally released her grip on the gun and looked at him as she crumbled into his arms, crying hysterically.

Hailey managed to cut herself free, and she ran to her daughter and held her close, Trey wrapping his arms around both of them.

Only a few feet away, Gavin brought Sara’s limp body to his chest and held her tight as he cried into her neck. “Sara, please. Stay with me. I can’t lose you, too.”

Hailey brought her hand to her mouth and let out a sob. Then, she heard footsteps as other officers raced down the hall. One ran to aid Gavin as he placed two fingers on Sara’s neck. “She’s got a pulse! Let’s go!” Two paramedics were already coming down through the door and they loaded Sara up on a stretcher and quickly rolled her out to the ambulance, Gavin running behind them.

The third officer walked over to Ryan and shook his head, confirming he was deceased.

Then he walked to Lauren to do the same. “Get another medic in here!” he yelled.

Hailey turned around quickly.

Then the medic came and took Lauren’s body away on a stretcher and loaded her into the ambulance.

July 12, 2011

6:37 pm

Sara clung to Gavin as they stood around the gravesite. Funny, she thought rain would be more fitting for such a sad day, but it was the sun that showed it was a force to be reckoned with, though it wouldn’t be out much longer. Not a single cloud filled the sky, much like the day when this all began.

A bird perched on a tree branch just above the gathering, as if to signal that Carter was with them.

Sara shifted slightly, trying to ease the pain in her stomach. Though it had been a week since Ryan had stabbed her, she still found herself feeling as if her abdomen had been ripped to shreds. The doctor tried to prescribe her something for the pain, but she refused. She’d rather writhe in pain than become addicted to painkillers.

Hailey and Gavin had been nothing short of amazing during her recovery, both of them taking turns to help her clean her wounds and change out her bandages or drive her around. Even Trinity helped her get dressed or would make Sara lunch.

At first, she had fought with them. She didn’t need them to take care of her. But she quickly realized she did, in fact, need them. And, to her surprise, she found herself thankful she didn’t have to recover on her own.

For the first time, Sara wasn’t alone. She had people who loved her and who wanted to take care of her, who didn’t see her as a burden. She wasn’t quite sure how to process that. So, for now, she simply let them dote on her; something her younger self would appreciate.

Breathing slowly to ease the pain, she brought her attention back to the preacher who spoke of Carter’s strength and kindness. Sara found herself mourning the man she’d hardly known. She was grieved she had only gotten to spend a few days with him before he was tragically taken from his friends and family.

His mother, father, and three sisters clung to one another as they cried in agony. Life was cruel. The good die young but the monsters seem to live forever. While Carter would be lowered into the ground, Lauren was living and breathing. She may be behind bars, but even that was too good for her.

Both Sara and Hailey had been livid when they found out the D.A. made a deal with her. After all she’d done, they were willing to give her a life sentence with the possibility of parole after only fifteen years if she told them everything about her crimes.

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