Fallen

Terror pooled in Kandace’s stomach as Ms. Wykes raised the scissors and then brought them down toward the back of her head. Kandace let out a shocked cry as they snapped shut with the same loud metallic snip that had sounded when she’d used them to clip the bird’s wings.

The pressure lifted on her head and she realized that the man was no longer holding her by her hair. Ms. Wykes tossed something on the desk next to her as Kandace struggled to rise. She blinked, reality crashing in around her when she realized what it was: her long blonde ponytail.

The man yanked her by the back of her shirt and she stumbled upright, taking a step backward, her hand going to the empty spot at the back of her head. She gasped out a breath. “You cut my hair.” The words sounded breathy, disbelieving.

“Vanity will not be tolerated here, Ms. Thompson, nor will sinful behavior of any sort.”

Kandace stared at her. She couldn’t remember the last time anything had shocked her. Ms. Wykes was right about one thing: Kandace had become desensitized to sinful behavior, hers or anyone else’s, but she could honestly say she was shocked now. Stunned and deeply frightened. Her eyes darted to the large man, a glint in his eyes that told her he’d be only too happy to exert whatever physical force was necessary to ensure she was cooperative.

But Kandace was seldom obedient. She let out a slow, controlled breath. They didn’t know who they were dealing with. Not yet. But they would. She swore it. They would.

“I’ll report this,” she said. “I’ll tell them what you did today. Everyone will know. They’ll shut you down.”

Ms. Wykes smiled and for the first time it met her eyes, her expression one of genuine amusement. But as quickly as that, it vanished. “You will? Oh dear,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’m sure your mother will believe you. I’m quite certain you’ve never lied. I imagine her trust in you is veritably unshakeable.” She tapped a bony finger against her thin, blanched lips. “You, a disappointment who showed up here at Lilith House high and practically hallucinating”—she nodded to the baggie of marijuana and pills—“when the court has made it clear that should you be caught with drugs, the chance you’ve been given here at Lilith House will be rescinded in exchange for jail time. In exchange for a permanent record.”

Kandace stared at her, wondering if jail time would be better . . . or worse. She knew what her mother would say. God, you’re such an embarrassment. The words came back to her now, cutting, the same way they had when her mother had hissed them at her.

“Now,” Ms. Wykes said, brushing her hands together as though what had happened was no more than a casual, though slightly unpleasant, welcome that should be brushed aside. “You are in the attic with two other young women. Jasper will show you to your room.”

Kandace’s mind raced. She had to find a way out of here . . . she needed to talk to the other young women and find out more about this place, find out if this was the regular welcome wagon, find out . . . everything she could. “My suitcase is still in the foyer,” she said.

“Your things have been burned,” Ms. Wykes responded. “You will be given a uniform, and a modest sleep outfit, no more.” She grabbed something off her desk—a silver crucifix—raising it high in both hands, her voice booming, eyes burning with sudden passion. “And He said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions!’” The gemstones on the crucifix flashed in the lamplight as she lowered her arms, her eyes narrowing as that cold smile turned her lips up again.

Kandace moved her gaze slowly from Ms. Wykes to the bird lying on the floor in the pool of blood. It was no longer moving.

It had died.

The other bird sat alone behind its bars, staring longingly out the window at the forest beyond.CHAPTER FIVEScarlett took a sip of wine, glancing at Haddie across the card table she’d set up in the kitchen—along with two metal fold-up chairs—where they could eat meals. They’d dined on canned chili and crackers for dinner and had been living off items from the small box of non-perishable food she’d brought from their old apartment for the last few days. She’d have to venture into town in the morning to stock up on some more, especially now that the gas line was working and they had an operational stove and running water in the kitchen. The electricity had checked out, though Louis had had to reset several of the breakers, but once that was done, the old refrigerator had hummed to life. It was smelly and dirty inside, but it wasn’t anything some elbow grease and a quart of bleach couldn’t fix, so she’d take on that task right before she grocery shopped.