Page 56 of Dyana
“Does telling yourself that help you sleep better at night? Do you have any idea how many people would still be alive if it weren’t for you? I do. I’ve watched them all die. Every person who ever trusted or cared for you, left for dead as you ran like a coward.”
“I know I’ve made mistakes. I’ve had to live with that. If I knew he took you prisoner, I would have rescued you. Amber, you need to escape. Get out of here while you can.” Harris would be back soon, and then he’d deal with Amber. I had to convince her to leave before he returned.
“You still don’t get it, do you? I’m not his prisoner, I’m his partner. The daughter he never had. He won’t hurt me.” Her confidence was admirable, but misplaced.
“Magnificent, isn’t she?” Harris said from the doorway. I spun around to face him. I hadn’t heard him return, and now it was too late for Amber. “I never realized how malleable children were. Like little globs of clay to shape into whatever monster you want.” Harris opened his arms, and Amber rushed into his embrace. He held her tenderly, but while he might have fooled her, he didn’t fool me. I saw the evil inside.
“When I took her, I had planned to make you watch me rape her when I finally caught you. But the rug rat grew on me, and now I couldn’t imagine doing that, especially when my dreams have been filled with all the things I’m going to do to you.”
“Let her go, Harris. You have me where you want me. I’m not going to fight you, so just let her go. Let her live out her life in peace,” I begged.
“Three mouths are one too many to feed,” he pondered. Harris smiled at me, the cold glint in his eye sent a tingle down my spine. “I hadn’t considered parting ways with Amber, but perhaps it’s for the best.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to stay with you. Please don’t make me go away,” Amber pleaded.
“Hush, child. I have one more task for you before we part ways. Why don’t we show Dyana how obedient you are?” Harris took out his handgun and handed it to Amber. “Be a dear and kill yourself, Amber.”
“No!” I screamed. “Amber, listen to me, sweetheart. He doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t love you. This isn’t love. Shoot him, Amber. You have to shoot him.”
Amber ignored me as she looked up at Harris with tears in her eyes. “Do I have to?”
“Yes, dear. Dyana needs to see with her own eyes the death she’s caused. And who better to show her than you? I’ll carry you in my heart forever, but your time on this rock is up.” Amber nodded and stepped away from him before turning to face me, holding the gun to her temple.
“Amber, you don’t have to do this. Choose yourself. Choose to live, and kill him. Dying won’t do anything. If he truly loved you, he wouldn’t ask you to kill yourself.”
Amber met my eyes, a single tear trailing down her cheek. “This is your fault. You did this. I was dead the moment you saved me from that tree.”
The sound of the gunshot echoed around the room as Amber’s lifeless body crumbled to the floor. I should have rushed forward, grabbed the gun, and shot Harris. But I felt frozen in place by the shock of what I witnessed. Finally, my legs gave out, and I fell to the floor and dissolved into tears—such a pointless waste of life.
Harris grabbed the gun and then knelt in front of me. Through my tears, I could see the sinister smile on his face. He was enjoying this. “You know, I thought breaking you with my hands would be enough, but seeing your pain now, I think I want to break you mentally first. I’m going to make you watch everyoneyou love die, then, when your mind is broken, I’ll take my time breaking the rest of you.” He stood and left the room.
This time, I heard the door lock.
As I composed myself, I looked around the room, skipping over Amber’s body. My family was still in danger, and I had two options. I pried the sole of my boot off and pulled out the small knife stored there before replacing the sole. Harris should have had Amber search me better. I went into the small closet, the only other door in the windowless room, and closed the door behind me.
Sitting there in the dark, I contemplated my options. I could wait for Harris to come back and hope I got the drop on him and could injure him enough to gain the upper hand, or I could take my life and turn into a zombie. He wouldn’t expect that, and I had a better chance of a surprise attack on him that way. Plus, with me gone, he wouldn’t have any reason to target my family.
This could all finally end.
But which do I choose?
Chapter seventeen
Jack
Iwoke up suddenly. I could tell by the light in the room that daylight was on the verge of breaking. Something was wrong. I could feel it, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. Just a nagging feeling in my gut that there was something I was supposed to be doing. I got out of bed, where Evan and Bryce were still asleep. Dyana wasn’t in bed, and it only took me a fraction of a second to see she wasn’t in the tower. It wasn’t uncommon for her to wake up before us and start the day, but this felt off. I stumbled to the counter where last night’s tea cups still sat, and the spark of a memory rubbed against the shadows of my mind, just out of reach. Panic I didn’t understand surged inside of me, and when I spotted a note, I snatched it up desperately, hoping it held the explanation for what I was missing.
I read the note and felt my world tilt off its axis.
Jack, Bryce, Evan:
First, I have to apologize for sedating you. That wasn’t fair, but I didn’t have a choice. Harris has been after me from the start of this hellish world, and I’ve let too many people die for me already. I can’t let him kill you, too. I wouldn’t recover from losing you and would quickly follow you into death. Please don’t follow me. I know you will want to, but don’t. Let me go. Don’t let my sacrifice be in vain. Live your lives and know that I love you more than words can describe. These last months with you brought me more joy than I ever thought I was worthy of. You’ve shown me that monsters can be loved, too. Take care of Cora and her family. Give Johnny and the new baby extra hugs and kisses from their Aunt Dyana.
Be happy. Be safe.
Dyana
“WAKE UP!” I shouted as I tossed the note back onto the counter and rushed to get dressed.
