Page 30 of Cruel Cravings

I’m never going back. No matter what happens, I refuse to go back to that existence.

The truth is, people like Dr. Wolford and even Detective Laurent—people like most of the world—underestimate me. They claim I’m the delusional one who’s out of touch with reality, but what about them?

They see what they want to see: some fragile, fractured young woman who is broken and unstable. But those fractures are proof that I’m stronger than they realize. I’ve been hurt and damaged and I’m still going.

Hours into my drive, the sun hangs lower now, dipping into shades of gold. The windshield glints in the fading light, forcing me to squint and lower the visor. I press harder on the gas, the station wagon picking up speed.

The landscape shifts into darker tones as the sun begins to set. The first signs of the night to come appear, a few stars dotting the sky.

I’ll be there in less than an hour. Then I can finally set my plan into motion.

I’ll be one step closer to reuniting with my sister. It’s been so long since we’ve been together that my heart aches thinking about her.

When we were girls she used to braid my hair (when she wasn’t practicing on the piano). We would fight often, but all sisters do. Our mother pitted us against each other; she wanted me to feel inferior to my sister’s musical genius.

It gave me a complex. It made me jealous. I wanted so badly to be just like her.

But when I find her again, we’ll clear the air. She’ll see that I never meant to hurt her…

The GPS on my phone dings, signaling I’m close to my destination. It’s the exit ramp from the highway, leading to a road that’s surrounded by the woods. I switch lanes and take the exit, entering the wooded area.

Only a few hundred feet in, I pull over in the first clearing to park. I flick off my headlights and go dark.

The shadow man’s close. He has to be. Even if the dark may make it harder to find me.

The station wagon door pops open as I get out and gather my things. My pulse beats fast, the anxiety I’d usually feel coursing through me as caution and awareness. Two things I’ll need if my plan is ever going to work.

I smirk to myself as I start toward the dark wall between the thick trees.

Let’s see what the night brings.

When I first came across the Klum family’s apartment, I only intended on staying a couple nights. I had watched the family of four load their car with their luggage and drive off. I wasn’t sure how long they would be gone.

Once I gained entry to their home—and access to all their things—I realized they would be gone for a couple weeks. It was a family trip up to the cabin they owned a state over. Some spying on social media revealed their exact location as Mrs. Klum posted update after update to her friends and family about their vacation.

They had a key holder tacked to the wall in the kitchen, where they labeled each key and hung them up when not in use. I swiped the extra key marked cabin and stuffed it into my duffle bag, figuring it would come in handy if I was ever on the run. The Klum family wouldn’t know if they were at their apartment in Easton.

There was no harm in borrowing their cabin like I was borrowing their apartment.

Borrowed keys. Borrowed car. Borrowed homes.

I would be on borrowed time if I hadn’t taken these things. I needed them more than their owners.

The key jingles softly as I walk in the woods and the cold air draws goosebumps on my skin.

The cabin will be the perfect spot to hide away. Remote, quiet, hidden deep in the woods. Not only will it provide me cover from the authorities, it’ll give me a place to roll out my plan.

The necessary next step to find my sister.

The air chills the deeper into the woods I go. Dead leaves and brittle twigs crunch under my boots. I use the flashlight feature on my iPhone to light the way, but only occasionally, only to make sure I’m still on the right path.

Otherwise, I walk in darkness. I stop every so often and listen to my surroundings.

I drop breadcrumbs for him to follow.

The trees feel alive, rustling in the wind.

He’s coming. I can sense his presence growing closer.

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