Page 125 of Amnesty

“Outside.”

Rushing to the window, I shoved at the curtain to peer into the backyard. He was easy to spot among the darkness.

He wasn’t alone.

I gasped.

Not even considering Sadie, I ran forward to help him. Sadie shoved me back. I stumbled, gaping at her. “Eddie is going to get hurt!” I raged. “We have to help him!”

“He’s fine.”

“You said you loved him.” I flung the words at her. “If you truly did, you wouldn’t just stand here like this.”

She stared at me. Something flickered in her eyes, as if what I said struck a chord. Whatever. I wasn’t waiting, and I wasn’t about to reason with someone who was clearly unbalanced.

Instead of going past her, I went over the bed, taking my shirt with me. Pulling it over my head, I ran out the bedroom door, yelling Eddie’s name.

The sound of pounding feet behind me wasn’t a surprise, but I ignored them.

Down the hallway, I pivoted into the kitchen, racing to the back door. I grabbed the handle and yanked. Sadie slammed into me from behind, forcing the door closed. Sandwiched between her and the wood, I jerked back, trying to throw her off and pull it open again.

Reaching around me, she banged it shut.

“Sadie!” I gasped. “You have no idea what you’re doing!”

The distinctive sound of a sharp blade scraping over a nearby surface made me pause. “Wha—”

Pain, sharp and shocking, burst along my body.

A gurgling sound sputtered out of my throat. I fell into the door, making it bang again. Instinctively, my hand moved to the source of my pain, knocking into the handle of a knife.

Wheezing, I glanced down. There was definitely a knife sticking out of my side.

I turned, leaned back against the door, and stared at Sadie. Her eyes were glittering, her chest heaving.

“Oh, I know,” she said. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

True fear cracked through me like the brightest bolt of lightning in a thunderstorm. She was acting as though we were enemies. As though she hated me.

Maybe she does.

“You stabbed me,” I said, even though it was perfectly clear. My legs were beginning to wobble, and blood gushed out around the blade, saturating my shirt. I glanced down, wrapping my palm around the handle. Should I pull it out? Leave it in?

Both seemed equally painful.

The knife didn’t seem overly large. It was only halfway driven into my side.

“Did you really think I would let you get away with this?”

I began sliding down the door. I thought of Eddie and prayed to God he was okay. I knew who was out there with him.

I knew it washim.

He’d come for mejust like everyone said he would. He wanted me back.

I’d die before I went back to that island.

But first, I had to make sure Eddie was safe.

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