Page 99 of Jerk
A fake ID hangs from the rearview mirror, my ticket in. Staring into the reflection, Krystal still stands at the edge of the loading dock. “The hell is she doing?”
“Krystal!” Hannah calls, her head poking out the passenger window. Her hair’s a wispy mess, the back of her white tank brown with dirt. Seeing her like this doesn't help the horror stories swirling in my mind. “Come on!”
“Why is she stalling?" My grip tightens on the wheel, the ridges pushing against my bones. "It was hard getting in here,and we don't have much time until the guards notice this isn’t a real delivery.”
“Krystal!” Hannah calls again before she turns to me. I keep my gaze ahead, but I notice the narrowing of those sugary eyes in my peripheral vision. “Is that why you’re late? Or were you too busy deciding whether you wanted to help me?”
That was half of it. “You’re welcome.” Turning to her, she still looks like the fallen angel she is. One that would drag me to hell. “Are you okay?”
“You care now?” she sasses. Her eyes search my face, the van getting warmer as the air around us fills with her scent. Sweet. Alluring. Calming? So why won’t my heart chill the hell out?
Headlights shine ahead, coming around the corner.
I press on the horn as Hannah whips her head out the window again. “Krystal!” Hannah slams her hand against the door. “Come. On!”
It takes another second before Krystal notices the headlights and finally moves. Two black SUVs turn the corner as Krystal slides into the back of the van. The minute she does, my foot slams on the gas as she closes the door.
Hannah lets out a squeal as I peel away. The two SUVS close in as I step on the gas. It’s a tight fit between them, but it’s our only way out. The side of the van scratches against one of the SUVs when I drive in the middle, but we make it through.
Looking back, it's clear it'll take them a second to turn around before my eyes land on something else in the mirror. Someone stands at the docks, their eyes on this van.
“Is that Eden?” Hannah asks.
“The hell is Eden?” I ask in return.
“Fuck,” Krystal mutters. Then her head appears between Hannah and mine. “We have to go back.”
“That's stupid,” I say, the car speeding up as I drive down the long path to the gates. They’re no longer open, so I press harder on the gas, speeding up enough to get through.
“We left her!” Krystal exclaims, but I don’t care whoheris.
I have what I came for. They’re safe. She’s safe.
Smash!
The car breaks through the gate, Hannah letting out another squeal when it does. Then we’re back on that dark road, leafless trees lining the path as the gothic building disappears behind us.
Krystal pounds on the back of my seat like a five-year-old. “Rye, we can’t leave her!”
“I was late, and she still missed the meeting time,” I remind her. “We cut it close.” Her eyes meet mine in the rearview. A scowl.
“She’ll be okay.” Hannah turns to her. “She’ll be happy we got out.”
“She won’t be.” Krystal sinks into her seat, my foot still heavy on the gas. “You know that.”
“Why?” I ask. “Where the fuck did our mother send you this time?” The websites and pamphlets were confusing when I read them. Order. Loyalty. Sacrifice. It’s their motto. It looks like a well-run place, more grandiose than SBU, but the girls make it sound like a dungeon.
“Does mother dearest know you came for us?” Krystal asks.
I nod. “She knows.”
“What did you have to do?”
“Give up everything.”
Don’t lose this, too.
“What does that even mean?” Hannah leans forward, glancing between us. "What did you do?”
