Page 61 of Julian's Curse

After I’d finished a heartfelt letter to Julian—my just-in-case goodbye that included the address where I’d be going—and left it on top of my desk for him to find—around two, I quietly slipped into the garage to take Kali’s car. And it was surprisingly easier than I’d expected because Will didn’t foresee another attempt to get away. This made sense, because after the tabloids dissected my personal life, it would have been temporary insanity to repeat the same mistake.

Kali was correct—her car was the epitome of a clunker. The seats looked stained, and the engine hummed with a peculiarrhythm, making me wonder just how long it had been since she’d had it checked. It coughed to life with a hesitant roar, rattling like a creature reluctant to wake. The sight of it made me miss Bradley—the kind friend who could breathe life back into any car, which also included my old Miata. He had a way with engines, a gift for coaxing them back to life with a few deft turns of a wrench and a bit of patience. I was equally certain he’d try to talk me out of this plan, if only he knew where I was headed.

Resolute to still go ahead, I exited the parking garage. Soon, I passed the city limits of San Diego, steering eastward. My backpack shifted in the back seat, a not-so silent companion. With my eyes still on the road, I let my imagination drift to Sophie spinning joyfully in her bridesmaid dress. In that vision, she was whole, radiant, and carefree—healthy and happy in a way I desperately wished was real. That day, she’d even catch my flower bouquet because I felt that Mark would be the one companion she’d choose for life.

The further I drove, the more I ventured inland. After passing Santee, I found myself entering Lakeside, a quiet, rural community tucked away from the city’s pulse. The road narrowed, flanked by rolling hills dotted with patches of dry grass and the occasional ranch house. The air smelled of earth and sagebrush, and the landscape stretched wide, a vast contrast to the cramped confines of city life. Small, weathered homes sat nestled between overgrown trees, their lawns unkempt, giving the place an almost forgotten charm. A few old barns and rusted fences dotted the horizon, and everything felt still as if time itself had slowed down out here.

The signal on my phone had dropped to a single bar as I turned onto a road that was little more than a dusty path, littered with rocks and dirt. The car jolted with each bump, its frame rattling under the strain. I’d most likely damage the undercarriage, but I’d deal with paying Kali later.

“You’ve arrived at your destination,” The GPS announced. I came to a stop, now surrounded by treacherous silence. The address seemed to match, yet there were no houses in sight that corresponded to the number that stranger had given me.

I waited for what seemed to stretch on forever, now even doubting that the kidnappers would show up. Had the email been real?

But soon, a rustling sound came from the trees, and a short man with curly hair and a distinctly tanned face stepped into view. He looked in his 20’s, like a young kid that got on the wrong side of things. “Get out of the car,” he yelled. Fear ricocheted through my body. It was as if I’d suddenly floated out of it and was watching my life from the outside. I’d never been this vulnerable.

“Leave the backpack where it’s at.” He leveled a gun at me, the cold metal glinting in the sun. I soon noticed that he wasn’t alone.

“Put your arms up,” his companion, a much taller man order, as he approached me to search my pockets.

He shoved me around so hard that I face-planted into the rocks, my knees now bruised, my hands turning raw. As if the pain wasn’t enough, he forced my face into the dirt, the gritty earth scraping against my skin. “The money is in the backpack, so I am here for Sophie,” I murmured into the ground.

Then I heard her. Jess. “Bring her in,” she ordered, her voice cutting through the air.

But before I could react, a wave of intense, uncontrollable pain surged through my body. It was as if every nerve fired at once, locking me in place. My muscles seized, and I found myself trapped—unable to move, my body rebelling against me. Then I most likely fainted.

I woketo the sound of water dripping, slow and rhythmic. A foul, unmistakable stench hung in the air.

“Lucie.”

Sophie’s face hovered above me, her voice a distant echo. For a moment, I wondered if this was death—or something just as strange, a nightmare I couldn’t wake from. But no, she was right in front of me, her features sharp against the dim light of what appeared to be an elongated, shadowed space—some kind of storage room, cold and unfamiliar. She looked dreadful—dirty with mud, her face seemingly covered in bruises, as if they had beaten her up.

“Wake up, friend.” She pleaded.

My strength had returned as I pushed myself upright. “Sophie, you’re alive,” I breathed, my voice thick with relief. But that relief quickly gave way to a creeping anxiety as I took in our surroundings. The walls were rough and uneven, coated in grime, and the air carried the faint scent of metal and earth. Every sound, every shift of movement, seemed to bounce off the cold stone, amplifying the sense of isolation.

“Does anyone know you came here?” She whispered as if someone could hear us.

I opened my eyes wide, to let her know this would be a lie. “No, absolutely not.” I didn’t trust it that we were there alone. Only slightly I nodded my head yes and she seemed to understand.

“Are you injured?” She examined my limbs. “They tasered you just like they did me, then threw you down.”

I shook my head, then mentally checked in with my body. It didn’t seem like anyone had attempted to hurt me. However, my stomach tightened painfully, cramping in waves that felt different from the sharpness of a blow. It was as if my body itself was betraying me, its rhythmic contractions a stark reminder of what was happening. A deep, hollow sensation began to settle in my chest—more grief.

“Sophie are you okay? Have you had water, and food?” I skimmed her, now blinking my eyelids to stop any weakness in tracks. Her mouth looked cotton-like, and her usually elastic skin had turned dry and pale. Without being a doctor, I could recognize the signs of intense dehydration.

“Not for two days,” she acknowledged. “She knows that she’s stretching my life to the maximum.” She was now referring to Jess. A sulking sigh escaped her lips before she pulled me into a hug, seeking comfort in the embrace. “I knew they were asking for money for my life, but I didn’t know they’d bring you here, Lucie.” She hardly murmured.

Then it hit me. Jess had planned this carefully to get both in this situation. And I hated the fact that I knew exactly why. She wasn’t going to let us walk like the email promised. She was letting us perish here, alone, without any help. The realization sank in like a stone in my chest—likely, they’d run off with the backpack, hoping that nobody would ever find us here in this grave.

I had to do something to take care of Sophie, to get us more time, so Amanda could find us. There was a solid chance that by now, people were looking for us already. “I am going to get some water in you,” I blurted out, “Urine is not the best to hydrate, but it’s something,” the words sounded ridiculous even to me, but in that moment, it felt like the only logical solution. I wasn’t ready to give up—no matter how gross the idea.

She smiled with her beautiful round eyes. “Lucie, you’re a fighter, you’ve always been.”

Could I make a clean catch with everything going on? I had to because Sophie’s life depended on it. Her heart condition made her especially vulnerable, and even the strongest people would be drained after two days without water.

“I contemplated drinking some of the water that’s dripping here. But it’s probably coming from a broken septic. The real estate agent in me discouraged me.” She remarked.

I scanned the darkness, desperately searching for any way out. The only light came from a flickering bulb, casting more shadows than it chased away.

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