Shallow River

Blackness dances on the edges of my vision. I hate being in this kitchen.

“River ever tell you the story on how she got her name?” Barbie prompts, looking Mako up and down like a slab of meat. I’d correct her if I wasn’t guilty of doing the same thing every time I’m around him.

“No.” His response is short and concise. I’d say uninterested if it wasn’t for the quirk of a brow aimed my way. I sigh, the regret from bringing Mako anywhere near this place deepening.

“I went into labor in the middle of runnin’ for my life,” Barbie starts, focusing her attention on the worn table. “I thought it would be harder to get caught if I was in the river out there.” She nods her heads towards the direction of still, dirty river. “Figured he couldn’t catch me that way. Here I am, gettin’ chased by one of the scariest men alive, and that’s when River decides she wants to make an entrance. I’m screamin’ and cryin’, beggin’ for my life while actively trying to keep a baby from coming out my body.” A dry chuckle slithers from her cracked lips. “But River wasn’t havin’ it. She wanted out right then and there. So, the water is up to my chest, Billy can’t see what’s goin’ on. He’s coming up behind me, gun in his hand and already raised to my head, and then just stops cold when I lift River up and he hears the first cries from a little baby.” She pauses, and brings her weathered, blank eyes to me. “River is what ultimately saved my life that day. As soon as Billy heard her cry, he decided he liked the sound of it. And then made it his life’s mission to hear her cry until the day she escaped Shallow Hill.”

An ominous silence settles over us as the last of Barbie’s words ring out, and then fade into the chill air. I shiver, despite it being hot as hell in this house.

I’ve always hated that story. The origins of my birth and how I came to be. Billy was getting ready to murder a pregnant woman and let her and her dead baby float along t

he river. Not surprisingly, there’s been more than a few dead bodies pulled out of the river. All nobody’s with no family to speak of and not a soul around that gives a shit. Barbie might’ve been lucky enough to gain some sympathy since she would’ve been pregnant when killed, but not enough to truly search for her killer.

So many nights, I wished that’s what would’ve happened. I hated myself for being born because if I had only waited a minute longer, I would’ve never existed. I would’ve never endured the torture and abuse that’s never really ended, even twenty-two years later. I would’ve been granted access to heaven without having to endure hell first. I would’ve been free.

“Your life might’ve been saved, but mine ended that day,” I say, forcing dryness into my tone. She smirks at me, as if she knows how badly that story still affects me. Mako doesn’t say anything, but the edges of his eyes have softened a bit.

“Money, Barbie,” I remind, snapping my fingers obnoxiously. Being reminded of Billy has lit a new fire under my ass.

“Don’t have it,” she says shortly.

Mako comes to stand beside me, crossing his arms across his broad chest and staring down at Barbie with a cocked brow. He’s not looking down his nose at her like he’s better than her—he’s looking down at her to intimidate her.

For me.

Shock slaps me in the face when I see Barbie blush from the scrutiny in Mako’s stare. Never in my fucking life have I seen Barbie blush.

The only thing that snaps me out of my shocked state is the wad of crisp clean bills slapping on the dirty table. Seeing the bills freezes my heart. Clean bills don’t pass through Barbie’s hands. It’s just not something that happens. This town is dirty, and the money is even dirtier.

“Where did you get that from?” I whisper, staring down at the bills like their live snakes, reared back and ready to bite.

Barbie glances down at the bills, and then back up at me with an unreadable emotion in her eyes. It almost looks like trepidation, but that word has only ever been associated with Barbie when Billy is involved.

“You know the answer to that, River.”

“Why is he giving you money?” I grind out through my gritted teeth.

“Because he knows you come to collect rent each month. Says he wants to take care of his favorite girls, so he fronts me the money to give to you. He said it kills two birds with one stone.”

My stomach sours, twisting and turning until I’m sure I’m going to be sick. Vomit rises in the back of my throat. I take a step away from the money.

“I don’t want his money,” I hiss. “What about the money you make?”

“That is my money! Who gives a shit where it comes from, River. Just take it!”

Without thought, I grab the money and whip it in her face, tens of bills smacking across her face before fluttering to the filthy tiled floor. Barbie shoots up, her chair clattering loudly behind her and gets in my face.

“What, you too scared to accept money from the Ghost Killer now? You accepted his dick inside you plenty of times, what’s wrong with his money?”

All the air is suctioned out of the room, leaving nothing but stagnant, bone-chilling stillness. I cringe and close my eyes, tears already lined across my lids. One slips through when I hear Mako take a single step forward.

“What the fuck did you just say?” An hour ago, his low gravelly voice was deepened with desire and need. Now… Now it’s deepened with betrayal.

A curse slips from my mouth as I turn to face Mako. He’s already staring down at me, shock splayed across his beautiful face. Coupled with hurt. Deep, cutting hurt.

“I was going to tell you,” I mutter shamefully. So badly, I want to drop my eyes to my feet and hide from the anger filling up Mako’s eyes like an empty gas tank being pumped full of gasoline.

“You knew who the Ghost Killer was? The entire time?”