Page 76 of Snowman

I blinked. "What?"

Her fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt. "Not Snowman. Someone... someone else. You scared me."

My stomach dropped. The room felt like it was spinning. I'd always known something was wrong with me, I always knew I had a Snowman who could resurface at each moment. But this? Someone else? Someone who hurt her? The thought made my chest ache.

"Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, but her eyes told a different story. They darted away, unable to meet mine. "You scared me, that's all," she whispered.

I didn't need her to say more. I knew. Deep down, I knew.

"Bree, I swear," I said, my voice cracking. I pressed a kiss to her forehead, trying to hold myself together. "I would never hurt you. Never."

Her shoulders shook as she covered her face with her hands.

"You had no control," she said through her fingers. "None."

"I'm sorry," I said, the words tumbling out in a rush. I kissed her forehead again, lingering as if it could erase everything. Then I stepped back.

"I can't..." My voice broke. "I can't stay."

She didn't stop me as I turned and walked to the door.

I couldn't face her, couldn't look at the bruises I knew I'd caused. The sight of her curled up on the bed, clutching that blanket like a lifeline, was enough to break me.

I needed to get out.

The hallway was dim, the tiles cool under my feet.My eyes blurred as I stumbled forward, my steps uneven. At the top of the stairs, I froze.

A broken deer skull lay on the floor, its jagged antlers glinting in the faint light. Around it were scraps of torn clothes. My stomach twisted. I held the railing to keep from collapsing.

A scream clawed its way out of my throat. It echoed through the house, bouncing off the walls. The door creaked open behind me, but I didn't turn around. I couldn't.

I staggered down the stairs, each step heavier than the last. At the bottom, I found a dark sweater crumpled on the floor. I pulled it on, the fabric scratching my skin, and stumbled out into the night. The cold air hit me like a slap, but I barely felt it.

The car was parked in the driveway, its windows fogged from the chill. I climbed in, gripping the wheel with my trembling hands. The engine roared to life, loud in the quiet night.

Without looking back, I drove away.

I didn't want to leave her. I never wanted it to end. But I needed to breathe. Just for a second, I needed to step back and clear my head. Something didn't sit right. Was the person she mentioned the same one Joe had called out in the barn? The thought gnawed at me, but the harder I tried to focus, the further it slipped away. My mind felt like it wasn't mine anymore.

Snowman, at least, I could control. Over the years, I'd learned how to reach him, leave notes, plant the right images, and guide his hand. But when I saw that new name tacked on the board at the station, somehow, it had to be connected.

Ithadto be.

The sharp buzz of my phone yanked me back to the moment. I fumbled for it, fingers stiff, and saw Eric's name flashing on the screen.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to steady my voice.

"Lena," Eric's voice was shaky, his breath coming in short bursts. "Mom…" His words cracked, barely holding together. "Someone… someone burned the farm down."

My chest tightened.

"Do you know who?" I asked, my voice flat, almost cold.

He didn't answer right away. When he spoke again, his words were fragile, like they might shatter. "Lena's dead, Thor."

My world stopped. Everything went quiet. Just… nothing.

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