Page 45 of The Raven
He neverspoketo me. Never approached me. Until that one night,exactlyone year ago.
Brokenwoodcreaking under my feet pulled me frommemoriesof thepast as Isteppedup the two woodenstepsto the porch. Time to focus. The smell of damp, rottingwoodhitmy nose as I nudged the front door open, the busted lock failing to keep anyone out.
Before going anyfurther, I crouched and pulled theknifeout of my bootfrom where I’d stashed it when I re-dressed earlier. Clasping the handle tightly, Isteppedacross the threshold and into the house.
Half of me expected Grim to jump out and attack me; the other half knew he was waiting for me in the basement.
His sanctuary.
I crept through the house, listening intently for any sign that he wassomewhere other than where I thought he was, but whenwarningsquawks filtered up from thebasement, my worst fears were confirmed, and hope that he was elsewhere in the house died aninstantdeath.
Summoningevery ounce of courage I had, I made my way to the door at thefar end of whatusedto be our dining room and began my descent down the creakystepson shaky legs.
With every step I took, fear crawled through my veins as my bird’s cries of warning grew louder, more desperate. When I hit the last step, an invisible vice wrapped around my chest, squeezing hard enough to make it feel like my ribs were breaking.
A wince left me as I surveyed thebasement, looking for danger. It wasexactlyas I remembered from the few times I’d been brave enough to venture down here afterGrimmoved out. Dark, dingy, and reeking of stale smoke.
Grim’sold couch still sat in one corner, thestainedblue cloth now moth-eaten, and thebaseballbatheusedto carry around with him wasproppedup against a table littered with beer cans and overflowing ashtrays.
My gaze shot to the far end of the basement, and the reason for my discomfort became apparent. Grim leaned against the wall, a malicious grin on his face. In one hand, he held a knife. In the other, he held my raven.
She writhed in his tight grip, her beak attempting to attack where he held her, but not quite reaching. Panic flooded my system, merging with my fear as everything she was feeling poured into me.
For a tense few seconds, neitherGrimnor Ispoke, the two of us silentlystaring at each other, waiting for the other to make a move.
“I suppose I should wish you a Happy Anniversary,”he finally said, hishead tilting to one side.“One year ago today, I killed you.”
I clenched my jaw, doing my best not to react to his taunting tone.
“You know, until yesterday, I didn’t believe in ghosts,”hecontinued, takingastepaway from the wall.“WhenBucktold us that you had returned from the dead and were killing us one by one, I thought he’d lost hisfuckingmind.”He chuckled humorlessly, taking anothersteptoward me. I readjusted mygripon theknife, ready toattack.“But here you are. In the flesh. Tell me, sister. Did you enjoy mefuckingyou so much, you decided to return from the dead for round two? I’ll happily indulge if you ask nicely.”
“Fuck you,” I snarled, unable to hold back, and taking my own step toward him.
Grimraisedhisknife, holding the tip to my bird.“Don’t come any closer, orI’ll put my theory to the test that if I kill birdy, I’ll kill you.”
My feet froze. Hehadfigured it out.
A smug smirk tugged on his lips.“That’s what I thought. How about you putyourknifedown?”
“How about you put yours down?”I retorted.
To my utter surprise, he dropped hisknife, the feeble light glinting off thebladeas it clattered to the concrete ground.“Your turn.”
It was atrick. Of course it was. I had no doubt whatsoever thatGrimhadmore weapons hiding on his body.“I think I’ll keepholdof it for now.”
Grim shrugged. “Have it your way.”
Heraisedhis hand again, only this time, hewrappedit around my raven’shead. Her squawking turned wild, and in aninstant, I knew what he was going to do.
“No!” I screeched, panic propelling me forward.
But I didn’t make it in time.
Grim’sdark eyes stayed on me as he twisted his hands, and a sickeningcrack echoed around us.
Blinding hot agony scorched my body, burning me from the inside out. Theknifefell from my hand as my legs collapsed under the weight of the excruciating torture pounding through my body. Yet, as Iwrithedon the floor, I didn’t missGrimcruelly drop the lifeless body of myraven.
“That was easy enough,” he said, picking up his knife and strolling toward me.
