Page 55 of Smoke the Enemy

My phone rings and I leap for it. It’s Steffan.

“Taylor. Soren is missing. We can’t find him. They’ve…” His voice breaks. “They’ve taken him.”

“No. That can’t be. I was just texting him.”

“We were able to track his phone. For a while it was working, then it suddenly lost signal. We went to where his last location was five minutes ago, and found his phone broken.”

“I’m coming over.”

“Wait. I’ve already sent Succo to come get you.”

What could’ve happened to him? What’sgoingto happen to him? I hate this feeling of helplessness. He just told me he loved me, and I couldn’t even say it back. I wanted to wait for the right time. Now I might never get the chance. My heart clenches in my chest, and my eyes sting with unshed tears. Soren. He wanted me to stay home for my safety, and now he’s in danger. Whether he wanted me involved or not, I am now.

Blue Rose, Alabama

Soren

My head is heavy between my shoulders. I try to raise it up, but the pain searing through my brain is too much. I’m drenched in sweat, blindfolded, and my hands are tied behind my back. I try to remember how I got here, but there’s only darkness and haze. It feels like cotton balls are in my mouth, and my throat is raw as I try to wheeze out a sound. It feels humid and smells stale wherever I am.

“You’re awake,” an automated voice says.

“Wha…” I can’t get the word out. Did they shove sand down my throat, shit, it’s dry.

“Now we can have fun.”

Intense pain shoots through my side. I smell the material of my shirt burning from the electric probe. My body violently shakes against the electric volts. When it stops I wheeze as I feel chest palpitations. Before I can catch my breath, a blow from the right has my head ringing and blood filling my mouth.

I gurgle out the words, “Release me and try this.”

“You didn’t release her,” the voice says back.

Release her? Who didn’t I release? Taylor? No… I think about my position. The smell. Is this about Allison? Before I can ask if this is Alex Dupree, and he learned that I’m the one who killed his mother, I feel immeasurable pain in my other side.

“Save your words. You’ll need every last ounce of strength. I’m only getting started.”

Taylor comes through the barn door in a thin white dress. She looks so angelic and sweet, my little church mouse. “Soren,” she smiles. “My poor broken Soren. I’m here, love.”

The sunlight glows behind her as she approaches me. Her hair hangs loose around her. “We’re going to go home now.”

The closer she approaches, I see her eyes are watery. When she blinks the tear that drips is dark red. Two rivers of blood trail down her cheeks. “Taylor?” Fear is gripping my throat and making it difficult to speak.

“Sshhh. I’m here.”

She smiles and kneels beside my chair. A black snake head peeks from under her hair. It slithers along her cheek, smearing the blood, and then it travels over her neck and to the other cheek. Blood smears as the snake keeps winding itself around her delicate neck.

“Taylor,” I pant. “Hurry and grab the snake. It’s choking you!”

“I’m here to save you, Soren. I’m going to free you.” The skin on her arms begin to droop and then come loose. “I’m your angel come to rescue you.”

I shake my head as a scream rips through me. She stands up and tilts her head. “Soren? I love you. What’s wrong?” Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open as the blade of a knife appears in the center of her stomach. The bright white of the dress begins to turn a deep red around the blade.

She falls, and a shadowy figure is left standing before me. “She’ll die saving you.”

I wake with a jerk. The automated voice speaks from somewhere in the room. “That must’ve been some dream. You didn’t shed a single tear during our playtime, but now you’re blindfold is damp.”

My body has become so weak, but I refuse defeat. I haven’t had a drink or food in… I don’t know. I’ve stopped soiling myself, so I’m surprised I was hydrated enough to cry tears. If all is lost, I might as well try to see if I can get some answers from this fucker.

“Are you the killer?” I foolishly ask. Maybe they’ll tell me if they’re going to kill me anyway.

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