Page 126 of I Promise You
My eyes close, wincing with pain, and I hiss.
“He killed my brother! My father’s only son! And this is just the beginning. We won’t stop until all of these so-calledexecutionersare dead. We won’t hang you if you tell us more about his team and their names. And about Creature.”
Creature?
“I won’t say anything. They’re all good men.”
I won’t ever tell them anything. I wouldn’t dare say anything about Kane.
Oh my god,Kanewill find me.
I know it. Even Rooker, maybe. He and Danny are so close. He would most likely be next in charge.
“On second thought, don’t hang her.” The man paces around me, holding a philosopher’s pose. He taps his jaw, his lips curve, grinning at me.
“We’re going to make her scream as we torture her. Record it and send it to the executioners.” He shrugs, getting into my face.
“They’re all responsible for killing my son.”
I start to sob harder, searching for Danny’s dog tags on the floor. I don’t want to die. I know I thought I did, but I can’t leave this world like this.
I won’t die without a fight. I won’t let them get the satisfaction of scaring or hurting me on camera.
I won’t be scared as they kill me.
My brother wouldn’t want that. My mother taught me to be strong and have faith in my God, and I won’t let them crack me.
38
ARI
Ican’t believe I’m in this spot where I’m treading life and death on a thin line like a rope.
They hadn’t touched me after throwing me into a horse stable for the night. They questioned me repeatedly, but I kept quiet.
Ms. Salem slapped me several times, kicking me in my stomach so much so I feel like I have a cracked rib.
But I’ll take it. After they killed my Danny, I’ll take anything over, giving them what they want.
They asked about Bane, Cobra, Texas, and Creature.
They don’t know their real names, only mine and Danny’s. I will never tell them anything about them. I’d rather die than risk other people’s lives, throwing them to the wolves that search for them.
They’ve barely given me food since they took me that night. I’m severely thirsty and feel like I’m becoming more disoriented as the hours go by.
Whenever I need to use the restroom, they take me into the woods behind the barn and force me to go in the dirt.
I overheard Ms. Salem and her father talk about their plans for me. They will kill me tonight since I haven’t said one word to them.
My mouth is dry, my lips chapped, and I’m completely drained and tired.
I’m losing hope that Kane and his team will find me.
Every second, every minute of the day, I see Danny’s face. My heart cracks repeatedly when I picture our last moments together.
He was shot.
He’s really gone.
