Page 140 of The Vanishing Place
“Nineteen,” said Daniel. “Cameron’s nineteen.”
There was a pause, and Adam opened his eyes. But Dad’s face was all wrong.
“She was fifteen.” Dad smirked. “Just fifteen when he put that bastard thing in her.”
He laughed, a terrifying hollow sound, and Adam thought he might spew.
“That boy’s going to rot in jail.” The horrible smile grew on Dad’s face. “Fucking pedophile,” he spat. “The pigs’ll get him, you’ll see, and they’ll mess that boy up inside. With any luck, they’ll beat the fucking life out of him.”
He pointed a shaking finger at Daniel.
“Hell’s waiting for him,” he leered. “For him and his devil spawn.”
Daniel straightened up. “What about Dinah?”
Dad’s expression changed, his teeth vanished and his face turned to stone. Then he walked over to Daniel and placed a hand on his shoulders.
“The wickedness of the outside world has polluted your sister’s mind. She’s been lured and corrupted by opponents of God’s truth.” He moved closer to Daniel. “Cameron’s words dripped into her like poison, leading her toward hell. And when your sister was at her most naive, Cameron filled her with the devil.”
Daniel nodded.
“We must protect her from this immoral world.” Dad spat as he spoke, his face shiny with sweat. “We must show her a life of purity…a life free of sin.”
Daniel nodded again.
“Only by separating ourselves from the evils of the outside world can we save your sister.”
Daniel’s head kept nodding. Up and down.
“Tomorrow,” Dad continued, “we’ll start anew. Away from here. Somewhere new. Away from the temptations of outsiders.”
Adam pressed a hand against his mouth, keeping the frightened sounds in.Stay. Stay.He didn’t make a noise, didn’t move a muscle. He made himself small and invisible, so that Dad wouldn’t remember he was there.
“Go.” Dad pointed toward the hall. “Your sister needs you to be strong for her now.”
He kissed Daniel’s head, then Daniel walked out.
Adam gripped his shins, his heart racing, as the room silenced around him. The slap of Daniel’s footsteps softened as he moved farther away, then they stopped, and a bolt slid open with a clang.
Dinah’s room.
Adam bit into his tongue at the first scream and dug his palms into his ears. He closed his eyes, his cheeks wet with tears, and when he opened them again, Dad was staring at him.
“You failed her.” Dad pointed at the door. “Listen,” he yelled. “Listen!Those screams are because of you. Because of your disobedience and your weakness.”
Adam sniffed, his stomach too sore to breathe.
“I expected better of you, boy.”
2025
Effie woke tothe sound of her sister’s voice.
Her sister who never stopped talking. Her sister who had an answer for everything. And suddenly, Effie was twelve years old again, tucked up in the sleeping nook, wishing that Tia would be quiet for just two minutes.
“Tia, it’s not even light outside,” Effie groaned. “I’m trying to sleep.”
“There’s no light anymore.”
