Page 103 of Roses and Skulls

Both of them turn and Elijah gives me one last wave before the door closes shut behind them.

A few minutes later, Sadie, one of the new bartenders, bops in. I made some jalapeño poppers. I brought you some. She sets a plate in front of me and takes the chair across from me, setting her drink down in front of her.

Mindlessly, I grab one and pop it in my mouth. “Oh. Oh, shit that’s hot,” I say, waving my hand in front of my mouth.

She pushes her glass across the desk to me. “It’s just coke with a splash of rum.”

I take it because I don’t give a fuck what it is as long as it puts out the fire in my mouth. “Goddamn,” I choke, taking another large drink. I finish it off and slide the empty glass back to her.

She laughs, picking up the glass. “Thanks for saving me some.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was going to be that hot.”

Giggling, she heads towards the door. “No problem, I can easily make myself another.”

After she closes the door, I carefully tuck the papers I had Draven sign earlier in the bottom drawer of the desk for safe keeping.

One more day and this will all be over.

I gather the rest of my things, checking my phone to see that Dan won’t be here for another hour.

Leaning back in my chair, I worry that maybe I’m being too harsh on Draven. He does seem like he really wants the bar to be successful. I rub my eyes, it’s been a long week, I think it’s finally catching up to me.

I sit forward, my head spinning at the sudden movement. Groggily, I grab my phone and try to focus on the screen.

The door to the office opens and when I glance that way, I do a double take. “Lanie?” I ask, my eyelids drooping with exhaustion.

“It’s time,” she tells me as Sadie steps in behind her.

My last thought before darkness claims me is, time for what?

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Billie Rose

When my eyes blink open, a headache assaults me. Jesus, what the fuck happened? My eyes are blurry as I try to make out where I’m at. There are papers taped to the wall across from me. I rub my hands over my face as I continue to try and make sense of what I’m seeing.

They are drawings. Dragons, skulls, hearts, flowers, and then my gaze stops on one of a young girl. She looks just like me. I try to sit up to get a better look but the pain in my head stops me. I moan, lying back against the pillow. I squint and see that each drawing is signed Jesse. These are my mom’s drawings.

Slowly, I roll over and see that I’m in a tiny room. The only other piece of furniture in the room is a single long dresser with a mirror. It’s covered in dust. The room smells dusty but the sheets on the bed look clean.

I groan again as I try to sit up. The door opens and a woman I’ve never met before walks in. She stares at me for a long time before speaking. “I’ve got something to make you feel better.”

The bed dips as she sits down beside me. “Give me your arm and close your eyes.”

I slide away from her. “No,” I tuck my arms close to my chest as I watch the flame she’s lit, warm the bottom of a spoon.

“Lanie,” she yells.

The girl who used to be my best friend walks in.

“Hold her down.”

Frantically, I try to get away but between the two of them, they overpower me. I’m still weak from whatever they gave me the first time around.

Warm tingles slowly make their way down my body. Tears begin to stream down my face because I can’t make sense of what’s going on. “No,” I whisper.

“Not so tough now, huh?” Lanie sneers.

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