I wonder how many girls there have been. I know we think there were a few dozen at least, but I have a feeling there have been many more than that. I don’t have to be a profiler to know that this isn’t something he just started doing over the past six years.

He likes it way too much for it to be that new.

And if he’s middle-aged, like Shelly seemed to think, he’s likely been at this for decades.

I think of the girls. The six who continue to follow me, and the three in the room the last time I was there in my dream-walk.

I imagine the one who can see me, who talks to me.

I hope with everything in me that she’s still alive.

“You’re back.”

It worked. I’m here! I glance at the girl and feel immense relief that she’s still alive.

“And you’re still here.”

“He was mad tonight,” she says, and her eyes flick to her left. Two more girls have joined the ones already there, making it five young women being held now. There are only three toddler beds against the wall, so the new girls sit on the floor, awkwardly tied to the bedposts.

They’re both crying and shaking. He’s stripped them naked, but aside from that, it doesn’t look as if he’s hurt them.

Yet.

And they can’t see me.

“What’s your name?” I ask the girl.

“Sarah,” she whispers. “Sarah Chandler. But he calls us all Brielle.”

“I know. But I won’t call you that. You’re Sarah. I want you to remember that. Hold onto your name, do you hear me?”

She nods quickly. “I’m Sarah. I have three older brothers, and I am a veterinarian.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

A ghost of a smile tickles her lips.

“I’m going to look around, Sarah. I need to gather more information for the police. I need to know how to find all of you, okay?”

She nods again, and I walk away, headed to the door.

It’s locked.

Frustration is swift and all-encompassing, but I turn and try to find other clues.

Maybe there are papers on the workbench. I walk that way and look around, disappointed to find it recently cleaned. There’s not even any blood on it now. No papers on the shelves either.

I glance around the room. There are no photos on the walls. Only the braids hang on the walls, and the roman numeral IV written in blood beside one of the small beds. Four.

Did someone cut themselves and then count the days until they died?

The thought sends a shiver through me.

I hear footsteps.

The girls whimper as the steps grow louder, approaching the door.

I’m going to see him! I’m finally going to see his face, and then I can tell Asher and Cash what he looks like, and we can find out who he is. We can put him away. We can make all of this stop.

The doorknob rattles.

The girls cower.

Sarah stares at me in horror.

But he doesn’t come inside. There’s a long pause, and then the steps fade away again.

The girls sigh in relief.

“He does that all the time,” Sarah says. “It’s just another way to fuck with us. Scare us. He taunts us mercilessly. Constantly. That’s the worst part of all. Death would be a welcome escape from this hell.”

“No.” I rush to her and reach out, but my hand moves right through her.

I can’t touch her.

I can’t help her.

I’ve never been so damn frustrated in all my life.

The sun glints off something under Sarah’s bed.

“There’s a knife right under you.”

Her eyes grow wide, and she struggles to see over the side. “I can’t reach it.”

“I have to get that knife into your hands.”

I try to pick it up, but I can’t grasp it.

Damn it!

Sarah looks at the girl sitting on the floor. “Hey, do you see a knife under my bed?”

The girl is crying.

“Stop crying and listen to me.” That gets her attention. “I need you to pass me that knife.”

The girl sees the weapon and uses her toes to pick it up and drop it on Sarah’s bed. Sarah palms it in her free hand.

“You keep that hidden, and you use it,” I say strongly. “You’re going to live through this, Sarah.”

“I hope you’re right.”

I wake with a start and blink rapidly, both of my sisters and Cash hovering over me.

“Are you okay?” Millie asks. Her face is lined with concern.

“I still didn’t see him,” I say and sit up to brush my hair off my face. “He’s playing with them. Taunting them. He has five girls now. And there was a knife that he must have dropped. Sarah has it now, so if he tries to hurt her, she’ll hurt him back.”

“Sarah?” Cash asks.

“The one that can see me. Her name is Sarah. Sarah Chandler. She’s been there a while, Cash. With the rate he’s been killing these girls, the clock is ticking for her. And she knows it. But she’s smart, and she’s strong.”

Tags: Kristen Proby Bayou Magic Fantasy
Source: readsnovelonline.net