Page 144 of The Vanishing Place
“You like peppermint,” he said.
She was chained up now though. Dad had attached the chain to Dinah’s bed after she’d tried to escape the third time. Dad said if they didn’t tie her up, she might try to hurt herself. That she might try to kill herself. And Adam definitely didn’t want that. He never ever wanted Dinah to die. He loved her.
“I put sugar in it.” He pushed the mug forward. “To give you energy.”
The chain kept Dinah safe in her room, safe from the outside world. Dad had removed anything that might corrupt her thoughts, and Adam made sure that she always had food and warm tea. It was Adam’s job to look after Dinah now. He’d let Cameron poison his sister’s mind and put the devil in her tummy. But Adam would fix all of it.
“I’ll bring you a cloth and some soap later,” he said gently. “It’s important to keep clean, Dinah.”
Adam would fix his sister. And then God would love her again.
2025
“Hello, Effie.”
She didn’t move from the bed as the figure appeared in the open doorway. A pale ghost, one eye as blue as the ocean and the other black as night.
Lying, cowardly shit.
“Where’s Tia?” she demanded.
But Adam just grinned. “It’s nice to see you, Effie.”
She let out a sharp laugh. “It would be nicer if I had a gun to put a hole in your deceitful head.”
Adam’s smile widened. “I trust that Tia has filled you in on our arrangement here.”
“Your deranged and narcissistic little cult?” Effie matched his smile. “Yes, I believe I have the gist of it.”
“Enlighten me.”
“A woman. Enlighten you? That seems somewhat off-brand, wouldn’t you say, Asher? Sorry,Adam.” Effie smirked. “Me being corrupted by my evil vagina and all.”
Adam flinched, but his smile didn’t falter.
“What’s it like?” asked Effie. “Playing God? Does he talk to youdirectly? Or does God prefer to leave clues? Chauvinistic tidbits carved into trees, perhaps.”
“I wouldn’t mock if I was you.”
“What would you do?” Effie looked at him. “If you were me, I mean? Repent. Sin. Marry. Make babies. Masturbate so furiously you’d need to lash yourself a hundred times for it? What is it that us women do exactly?”
“Quiet.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Effie smiled. “Is this not appropriate ladylike conversation? Am I making you uncomfortable?” She paused. “You do look a little ill, now that I think about it.”
“Shut your mouth.”
“A little insane around the eyes.”
“Quiet. Or I’ll come over there and shut your mouth for you.”
“Apologies.” Effie held her hands up. “I forgot. What is it that you preach again…that women should be seen and not heard? That I am to remain quiet and submit to God? Or is it to you?”
There was a pause as their eyes met.
“I tried to help you once, a long time ago. To give you the quiet in which to hear God.” The corner of Adam’s mouth twitched. “You might remember it? A night in a little crate.”
A cold moved through Effie’s body, but she forced her lips to smile. Adam was a worthless piece of shit. And he could go to hell.
