Page 15 of Hush (Fighting Fate)

I took another draw on the pipe, desperately trying to figure out how the hell I was going to shield Kaeli from everything she would see, finding no answers other than dragging her upstairs as fast as I could.

Finishing up with the pipe, I put it away and went to the kitchen to wait.

Chapter 13

Kaeli

The bus moved slowly through the darkened streets, methodically winding its way towards the southern suburbs. I pulled Mom’s coat tighter around me, trying to cover the parts my short dress didn’t reach.

I scowled as I recalled the snide grin on Ken’s face as he and Mom left for their charity event. He’d known I wouldn’t have enough time to change before I had to leave to catch the bus.

I didn’t know how it was possible to feel so differently towards your appearance, purely based on the people who were going to see you. I’d gone from feeling exhilaratingly sexy, to outright sleazy, all within the space of Ken’s announcement.

I knew at Ryan’s party there’d be a lot of girls showing way more skin than me, but knowing I was going to a house full of drug dealers, and let’s face it, probably rapists, I suddenly felt very exposed – like I was going there with a big neon sign on my forehead that said ‘fuck me’.

Every part of me was screaming at me to go home. To turn the hell around and hide under my bed covers, but I knew I had to be strong for Mom. I had no idea what Ken would do to her if he found out I didn’t make the delivery, but I knew it wouldn’t be good.

My stomach turned as I remembered his words. You know Kaeli, I hear an awful lot of accidents happen to women who wear stilettos.

My eyes stung. God, I hated him!

The bus jolted to a stop where I needed to get off and, holding Mom’s coat tightly across my body with one hand and Ken’s bag in the other, I hobbled down the steps.

The dimly lit corners of the back streets felt a lot more unsettling than the last time I’d stormed down there cursing Ken and his distorted view of normalcy, and I knew it had everything to do with the fact that I now knew what to expect.

The closer I got to the house of horror, the faster my heart raced. What the hell was I doing, willingly going back to that place? I knew that Mitch guy hadn’t gone as far as he could’ve last time I was there, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t this time, did it?

And I distinctly remembered them arguing about ‘turns’. What if their fucked up rules meant that it was someone else’s turn? What if it was that Pock guy? My stomach clenched and my throat jerked like it was getting ready to puke.

All the reasons were in my head. I knew why I had to do it, but my sense of self-preservation was screaming at me with all its might. God! Please keep me safe!

Turning down the alley that led around to the back of TJ’s house, I slipped into the deeper darkness, trying to avoid tripping over the discarded rubbish and boxes that seemed to be covering most of the ground.

I slowed when the rusty old carport came into view and stopped at the backdoor I was now supposed to use. My chest was literally jumping with each pump of my heart. I tried to slow my breathing - tried to reign in the panic, but I couldn’t convince myself the fear I was feeling wasn’t real. I knew it was. My whole body was shaking with it. I didn’t want to go in there.

Tears of hopelessness pricked my eyes. I knew all the reasons why I had to go in there, but fear had frozen me to the spot. I didn’t know how to get myself to make that final move.

Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I thought of Mom. I thought of the smile she wore as she’d walked out the door tonight. I thought of her coming home, still happy, and climbing into bed with that rare contented smile on her lips.

A tear ran down my cheek.

Before the image could leave me, I reached out and knocked.

After a few panicked heartbeats, the door swung open and Mitch glared down at me from the threshol

d. For some strange reason, relief flared inside me. He stared at me for a few seconds, his eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite decipher as his gaze trailed over the tear I hadn’t yet wiped away. Then he stood back, gesturing for me to come in.

I tried yet again to swallow my panic down, but when it refused to budge, I looked up at Mitch with despair. His jaw tensed as he watched me, and I thought I saw pain flash in his eyes, but I also knew I couldn’t trust what was mind was telling me anymore. It was in a complete state of emergency.

Swallowing hard, I forced myself to step inside.

Being inside their house again only intensified the panic even more. I couldn’t push the memory of Pock from my mind. The cold look in his eyes, the dark intent of his hands, the stale, acrid stench of his breath. It all made me want to stick to Mitch like glue. After that forced kiss the other day, I knew I had to be crazy to think like that, but I knew without a doubt I’d rather take whatever Mitch handed out than Pock. He was evil.

Loud music played from the other room, and voices, wild and free, floated into the kitchen with it. The smell of smoke was thick in the air, though not the kind I was used to smelling on the street. It was strong and smelled sickly sweet.

Mitch took Ken’s bag from me with one hand, and grabbed the top of my arm with his other, leading me towards the other room. I looked up at him with alarm, reflexes telling me to pull away and run, but the hard stare he gave me made me think twice.

With a firm hand, he pulled me into the other room.

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