Page 7 of Shadow's Sinner

My eyes widen as he bends down until we’re eye level. Holding my breath I wait for the punishment to come.

“Little girls shouldn’t be out after dark,” he whispers.

Tears well in my eyes, and swinging around I run to my room, slamming the door before I jump into my bed and under the covers…

I jerk awake as a car door slams. I snap my eyes open as the girls begin to shuffle out of the van leaving me to scrambleforward. I nearly trip over the seat before I climb out and my feet land on the ground.

“This is it,” Dad announces. I watch him walk around to the back of the van and lift open the cargo area. One by one all six of us girls grab our small duffle bag from him.

My heart races as I try to clear my head away from the memory of the hooded man so I can listen as Dad talks.

“The campsite is about two miles north.”

I peer around, wondering if any of the other girls are as confused as I am. But when none of them even blink an eye, I cool my confusion.

“Here is a bag of non-perishable foods. We’ll be back Sunday to collect you girls.” Dad peers over us before he climbs back into the van, leaving us standing there. It was so quick that I can barely process the fact my father just dropped me off in the middle of nowhere.

“Do any of you know each other?” one of the blondes with green eyes asks, her eyes scanning around the area.

I shake my head following the rest of the girls.

“Okay, I’m Samantha,” one of the other blondes whose ponytail is tied back too tight says rolling her eyes.

“Alicia,” the short blonde who had asked if we knew each other says.

“Lacey.”

“Emma,” the brunette girl says while raising her hand.

“Ashley.”

I bite my bottom lip self-consciously as their eyes all turn to me. “Uh… Lakelyn,” I mumble awkwardly, diverting my glance away in hopes they focus anywhere other than on me.

“Okay, now that we have that out of the way, let’s get moving. I don’t want to be out here when it gets dark,” Samantha says.

The girls all nod, agreeing with her. My gaze shifts anxiously in the direction Dad and Mom drove off to.Run.The urgentunbidden thought flashes through my mind.I press my lips together, realizing this is the first time besides prep school that I’ve been left alone. Dad and Mom would have no idea where I went. I could run away and make a whole new life for myself. I haven’t finished high school, but I can work in a diner. I’m eighteen as of midnight, tonight. They would have no idea where to look for me. I could be free.

“Lake, you coming?” Emma, I think her name was, calls out. I swing my head around finding that most of the girls have already disappeared into the woods, while I’ve stood here dreaming of running away. I bite my tongue to tell her not to call me that, giving the road one more glance before hiking my duffle bag up high on my shoulder.

“Yeah,” I whisper. I might dream about running away but there’s no way I would make it out there on my own. I’m scared of my own shadow, and with the memory of those dark hooded figures fourteen years ago fresh in my mind, I don’t want to be alone.

I seriously need to be more active. By the time we reach the campground I am sweating in areas I didn’t know were possible. I’m running out of air and wheezing so loud the other girls aregiving me disgusted looks, not that I blame them. While I’m dressed like I was going to church, they all look comfortable in jeans and t-shirts. Where did Dad even find these girls? He had said the church was bringing them in, but why aren't they dressed like me. We couldn’t be further than different from each other.

“I swear if she doesn’t shut up I’m going to make her,” Lacey mutters to Samantha. I hold my breath, trying my best to stop myself from breathing so heavily but it’s useless. I’m dying.

Samatha looks up, rolling her eyes as she sees I’m already watching her. It didn’t take long for the five of them to realize I was the weak link. I was the last one to start heading to camp and the last to arrive.

“Looks like we’re going to have to triple in the tents, they only gave us two.” Ashley tsks, tossing one of the tents to Lacey.

“Samantha you can share with me,” Alicia announces. And just like a match to straw, they all call each other’s names out.

“Emma,” Samantha is quick to follow.

Leaving Lacey and Ashley looking at me like I’ve just peed in their cereal. I blow out a pained breath, not thrilled with the choice either. One by one, we each slowly started to put our tents up.

I mindlessly follow Lacey, unable to focus on joining in with them as they get better acquainted. All I can think about is those hazel eyes and that dark hooded man from my dream. He haunted me for weeks after the hallway incident, and I assumed he hadn’t told my father about it since Dad never punished me.

“Why are you wearing a dress?” someone asks, snapping me out of my thoughts. I stand up and glance behind me to see who it is. Samantha stands there with her hands on her hips. Alicia looks up from her tent, watching, while Emma and Ashley stand off to the side, peeking over as if they’re not eavesdropping.

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