Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

"You don't want to drink too much anyway, otherwise you'll fill the chamber pot and I'm not about to empty it for you. You'll do that yourself before you leave. Drink?'

"No," I said.

"Good. You can send me a thank you note later for all the pounds you shed." She glanced at the sock, started to reach for it, and stopped. "Since you've been so good. I'm going to leave it out of your mouth. If I hear you make a peep. I'll send Skeeter in to shove it down your throat again, understand?

"Yes," I said.

"You should say, yes, thank you. Didn't your mother teach you any manners as my mother taught me?"

"Yes, thank you," I corrected.

"Very good. See? We can be civil to each other when we try," she said, smiled and stood up. Have a very good night. I'll give you some more water in the morning before I leave to see my attorney and get the new papers for Mother to sign. I'm asking for more than I did before because she didn't behave well and has to pay a penalty now."

I just stared up at her.

"You'll thank me, really, for all this someday. You wouldn't want to spend your life here, believe inc. Good night," she said, and closed the closet door.

The darkness defeated me. I closed my eyes and wished I would just die. After all this ended, how could I face poor Mrs. Westington knowing I had been the one who put her in this terrible position? I was sure she would hate me for it, even though she would pretend she didn't. and Trevor would be so disappointed in me as well for having hid so much from him. When it does end. I thought, I will leave. I'll get into my car and just drive away as quickly as I can. What Rhona had told Mrs. Westington concerning me might as well prove to be true.

I fell asleep on and off. One time when I woke. I felt very dizzy. It was as if my whole body was spinning in space. I was so weak and tired. I couldn't struggle much against the bindings. I could feel myself falling into a world of hallucination. There were brilliant colors flashing across my eves, even when I opened them. The silence, the darkness, and the terribly restricted area and movement sent me wandering through all sorts of tunnels in my own mind.

I slid my body over the closet floor and put my ear to the rear wall. Was it my imagination or was someone whispering just on the other side?

"I don't like it in here," I heard. "Why did you leave me in here?"

Oh. my God. I thought. it's Destiny. I had forgotten that I had placed her in Echo's closet and closed the door. She was in much the same kind of situation as I was.

"Destiny? Is that you?"

"Yes. Where are you?"

"I'm in a closet. too. They tied me up and put me here."

""Well, how am I going to help you? How am I going to get out of here? Echo can't hear me if I shout and cry."

"I don't know,"" I said. sobbing. "I'm sorry. I should have thought about it more."

"Yes, you should have. Now what are we going to do?"

"I don't know."

"Stop saying that. Think."

"I'm tying," I said. "I'm so tired and my body aches in so many places."

"Stop thinking of yourself only. Just imagine what it's like for me and for Echo. too."

"I have been imagining that. It is painful to think about it. I know it's my fault. I know."

"It's not entirely your fault, but you did make it all easy for them. You should have told Trevor more. You should have confided in him. You have to learn to trust good people more and stop being so ashamed of yourself."

"I know,"

Suddenly, the closet door was thrust open. The light from the bedroom blinded me for a moment. I blinked and looked up. Skeeter was standing there totally naked.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" he asked. I saw him wobble and realized he was drunk again. "Is she in here with you?" he asked, the thought occurring to him. He leaned in and pushed the clothing that remained away from me. "You're crazy." he said. "Talking to yourself."

"Please, untie me and let me out" I begged.