Page 7 of I Will Mend You

Dolly huffs. “I wanted her to feel the whole experience of her life turning to shit.”

The pretty boy says something that makes her giggle.

“Alright then.” She snaps her fingers. “Hold on a minute. Locke wants to give her a little something.”

Fen stops walking for the second it takes for the pretty boy to saunter over and order the larger man to cradle me in his arms. I squirm within Fen’s grip, trying to break free again, but he holds me so tight that I can’t breathe.

I used to think Xero’s eyes were cold, but that was only the color. Locke’s irises are an inky blue, completely devoid of humanity. They’re set within perfectly proportioned features that belong to a Ken doll. He advances on me with a syringe filled with clear liquid.

Every fine hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I shake my head, my eyes stinging with tears. I don’t want to lose consciousness and let these bastards subject my defenseless body to even more atrocities. I can’t let that happen again.

“No need to struggle, little impostor,” he drawls, his lips curving into a smile. “We’ll take really good care of you when you’re asleep.”

The confirmation of my fate unleashes a torrent of adrenaline, sparking a frantic struggle. Thrashing from side to side, I scream into the gag, my eyes darting toward the building where the security guard just disappeared.

What happened to him? Where’s the alarm?

What kind of airport allows innocent people to be abducted into private jets?

A needle pierces my neck, and I whimper, my eyes filling with tears. Nightmares usually end at this point, when the terror becomes unbearable. I should wake up in a bed, drenched in sweat, with my heart pounding.

But I’m still here.

Darkness swarms the edges of my vision, turning the world into a blur. As my body goes limp, Locke turns away from meand pulls Dolly into his side. In my periphery, the pair of them continue toward the private jet. My mind battles to stay awake, but my limbs succumb to the drug.

Before I can even consider what the hell this means, the world goes black.

I wake up again, collapsed at the back of a school bus racing through a landscape of woodlands. Beyond the trees are rolling hills peppered with sheep. The setting sun paints the sky in hues of tangerine and lilac, turning their wool peculiar shades.

My neck throbs, and my tongue is coated with the faint taste of chemicals. I try to move, but dizziness and the straps of my restraints keep me rooted to where I slump.

Up ahead, Fen is in the driver’s seat with Dolly and Locke canoodling in front. I can’t hear their conversation over the drone of the engine, but I’m sure whatever they’re planning will make me wish I’d perished at the hands of Reverend Tom.

I glance up to find cameras mounted on the bus’s ceilings, with blinking red lights indicating that they’re recording. The bus drives over a hump in the road that brings up a wave of nausea. I double over and groan.

“She’s awake.” Locke’s voice cuts through what’s left of my haze.

The pair approaches, and my insides twist into painful knots.

“Do you recognize this place?” Dolly asks.

I shake my head.

“What’s wrong, impostor?” she asks.

“Maybe she’s shy,” Locke says with a chuckle.

Dolly sits beside me and scoots so close that her body heat soaks through my straitjacket. Locke settles into the seat in front, his lifeless blue eyes scanning our features.

“You’re so identical, it’s spooky,” he says, his voice breathy with wonder.

“She’s got that bruise on her temple,” Dolly mutters.

“You can cover that up with makeup.” Locke leans over, his fingers reaching for my face. I recoil, but Dolly slaps his hand.

“No one touches her without my permission,” she snaps.

“Fine,” Locke mutters before offering me a wink.

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