Page 3 of Savage Hope

“Aren’t you going to put them on, Darling?” my father asks, nodding for me to do just that.

My mother slips one onto each wrist and I gape in wonder at the new jewelry. It seems one too many times dipping into my mother’s jewelry box has gifted me my own today.

“Thank you,” I breathe, still in a state of disbelief.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

As soon as I think about it, my gaze drops back to my fingertip and my thoughts darken.

Maybe not thebestbirthday ever.

My mother must catch the shift in me because she’s eye level with me a moment later, my hands in hers as she looks at the bandage. “Do you want to see a magic trick?” she asks, making my eyebrows crinkle in confusion, but I still nod. “Okay, but you can’t treat me any differently when you see how fabulous I am, alright?” she adds with a wink, and a small chuckle tumbles from my mouth.

“Okay,” I agree, completely distracted and caught up in her smile.

She undoes the Band-Aid, revealing the tiniest pin-prick on the tip of my finger. “Ready?” she asks, and I nod, even though I have no idea what she’s doing. The quietest whisper slips from her lips, so soft I have no idea what she’s saying, but when she strokes her thumb over my fingertip, a warmth spreads across my skin. I gape in confusion, but her touch is gone a moment later, and so is my pin-prick mark.

“Now,do you want to make a wish, Honey?” she murmurs, pointing at the pink cake decorated with a rose in the center.

I glance between her and my finger but the flickering of the candles draws my attention away, and with my new bangles for company, I hurry to the table. My gaze is fixed on the flames like my mother didn’t just do…whatever that was. I hear my parents singHappy Birthdayto me, but the words are a dull, distant drone as I watch the fire dance. It’s only when my father plants a hand on my shoulder and tells me to make a wish that I remember what I’m supposed to do.

I plant my hands on either side of the cake, leaning forward as I decide on a wish for this year.

I had initially planned to wish for jewelry, but after today, after my gift, I know that’s not where my wish needs to go.

There’s only one wish I want to be granted.

Taking a deep breath, I extinguish the flames as I scream my wish as loud as I can in my head.

I wish to survive the blood curse.

Overcome with fear,I can’t sleep.

The unknown future leaves me feeling helpless. Questions swirl in my mind, and I worry that my dreams will be haunted by what might happen, keeping me awake, staring at the ceiling.

I’ve tried distracting myself, counting sheep, even closing my eyes and praying for sleep, but nothing seems to be working. The only sense of comfort I have found is from my father’s coin pressed tightly against my palm. Occasionally, I rub my thumb over the face, imprinting the engraving to memory, but mostly, I hold it in fear of losing it.

I can hear my father’s snores through the wall. It’s almost comforting, but a sense of loneliness clings to me like a second skin.

Closing my eyes for the fiftieth time, I will sleep to come. I’ve counted to eighty-seven before I sense slumber lurking like a shadow in the corners of my mind. Trying to remain calm, I keep counting, and the weight of my eyes grows heavy.

It’s happening, it’s finally happening.

The remaining tension leaves my body as the promise of darkness washes over me, and that’s when a bang rings out in the distance.

My eyes dart open, my body stiff as I peer around my room, searching for the source of the noise, but all I’m greeted with is the pitch-black of the late hour. Straining my ears, I listen forsomething else,anythingelse, but when nothing comes, I try to relax again.

Taking a deep breath, I settle into the mattress, letting my eyelids fall closed. The second my eyelashes grace my cheeks, another bang echoes around me, only this time, it’s closer.Muchcloser.

I jolt in the bed, sitting up straight as my eyes dart to the door.

It’s not the shadows that greet me this time.

It’s a man.

Two.

Three.

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