Page 92 of I Am Salvation

Laughter breaks out from the shadows again, and I can only hope my voice doesn’t betray the terror that’s creeping up my spine.

“Good,” Tully grunts, cracking his knuckles.

His partner steps back, folding his arms across his chest and watching with a twisted smirk on his face.

With a lunge, Tully charges at me. It happens so quickly that I barely have time to react. But somehow, some way, I dodge his tackle at the last minute, stepping aside and letting him crash into the hard wall beside my bunk.

“Fuck you, you little pussy.” Tully groans.

Stunned silence fills the room, broken only by the heavy puffs of breath from the guy sprawled on the floor. My roommates, until then huddled in their own beds, are now watching.

“I’ll get him,” the other says.

“You better destroy him, Lewis.”

The smaller one—Lewis—steps forward, a murderous glare replacing his earlier smirk. He’s clearly not happy at how his friend ended up. This time, I brace myself for the attack, remembering a move I learned during a self-defense class at the previous home.

As he lunges towards me, his fist aimed for my head, I duck and sweep my leg low. He stumbles over it and lands with a grunt onto the cold floor.

My roommates gasp when he hits the ground. I’m panting, but the thrill of victory surges through me.

I did it.

I fought back.

And I won.

But no one cheers my triumph. The room is so silent now that you could hear a pin drop. Lewis and Tully, both still on the floor, look more surprised than hurt.

“Fuck, Dragon,” Zach hisses from his bed. “You just made things a lot worse for yourself.”

Present day…

Things can always get worse.

Things can get unimaginable.

Things can get downright hellish.

There’s a reason I told Diana I was sin.

That I could only take her to hell.

Because I’ve been to hell.

Part of me lives in hell every day.

I walk into the other room, leaving Diana on the bed with Teddy.

I wouldn’t mind cuddling with her myself, but I’ve got things to do. I call Alayna quickly.

“Yes, Alayna here.”

“It’s Dragon. I sent the money.”

“Great. Send me a screenshot of everything.”

“I’m on it.” I do as she asks quickly. “How soon will you have something for me?”

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