Page 101 of Amnesty

Just as I began to calm, the sound of his heartbeat grew faint until I was gripping his arm, straining for the sound.

And then it stopped completely.

The very last beat echoed through his now-silent and empty chest, bouncing around the hollow cave of his ribcage.

With a gasp, I jolted up, pressing a hand to my chest as tears dampened my cheeks. Instantly, I looked down at him, shoving the hair away from my eyes. He looked peaceful in sleep, curls falling over his forehead, his arm still thrown out beneath where I’d just been.

The steady, reassuring rise and fall of his chest proved he was okay. Proved he wasn’t lost. Just to be sure, I reached out, pressing my palm against his skin. The second his heart thumped against my touch, I sagged forward in relief.

But just as soon as the relief came, something stole it away. Violently. Coldly. Unexpectedly.

My head snapped up; my eyes widened.

Even though my mouth fell open, not a single sound came out.

She was there. At the foot of the bed. Staring at us through the dark with an ominous presence. Her eyes unblinking. My hand flew to my chest, and we locked eyes.

I couldn’t see her expression, but I didn’t have to. I felt it.

How long had she been standing there stalking us while we slept, vulnerable?

Anger radiated off her, jealousy a close second.

My hand slapped down in the center of Eddie’s chest. “Eddie!” I whisper-yelled. “Eddie!”

He jolted up so fast it scared me. In one swift move, he bolted up and shot his arm straight out in front of my body, creating a barrier. Then his entire body rotated, blocking me, shielding me.

He did all that without even knowing what it was I wanted.

“What?” he said, sleep evaporating at an impressive speed. “What’s wrong?”

I clutched his arm, which was sort of like a personal seatbelt, and glanced back to the foot of the bed. “She’s in here.”

“What?” He twisted around, following my gaze.

I blinked. Blinked again. “I don’t understand…”

Eddie looked between me and the spot where Sadie had been lurking. “Who’s here?”

“Sadie,” I whispered, still searching the dark. “She was here, watching us.”

Eddie didn’t ask anything else. Instead, he clicked on the bedside light. I recoiled almost instantly, unprepared for the harsh light.

“Sadie was in here?” he asked. “Where?”

Blinking, I pointed toward the foot of the bed. “Right there!” I insisted.

“Baby,” he said, his voice soft. “There’s no one there.”

“I know,” I wailed. “But she was. I swear.”

He pulled me close. “It was just a nightmare.”

“No,” I insisted, clutching his arm. “I know what nightmares are. This was real. She wasreal.”

“Why would she come in here in the middle of the night?” he asked, smoothing the hair back from my face.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. I felt stupid, and doubt started to cloud my own judgement.

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