Diego has been gone for about an hour. After pizza I closed myself up in the bedroom and managed to find my clothes and shoes. Now that I’m dressed and thinking more clearly, I know I have to use Taty to make my escape. I sink down on the couch while she’s in the bathroom. I would make a run for her car, but I am sure her keys are on her. I lay my head back and rest my eyes. I’m tired and need a power nap.
“Sybil? Are you okay?”
I blink. The nap I was taking is interrupted by the local news update blaring from the radio as Taty turns the volume up. “I’m sorry what? I think I must have zoned out.”
“Yeah. You were totally asleep and drooling. Sounds like they’re talking about you.”
I wipe at my mouth. All that medication must be seriously messing with me.
I turn my head toward the radio when another story about my disappearance comes over the airwaves. “Due to recent heavy rains officials have called off their search of Willowdale Forest. Rock falls and mudslides are keeping anyone from being able to access the park. The search will resume once weather permits. Officials have not said why they are focused on this area. More news at top of the hour.”
“What are they saying about me…on the news? This station doesn’t give very detailed reports.”
“Just that you’re about to inherit a lot of money and your father’s clothing line. They aren’t releasing much to the press. Your stepmother is loving all the attention though. I keep seeing her face everywhere. More than yours.”
“She always has loved the spotlight. I am sure she is eating up all the attention.” Consuela is always looking for ways to keep relevant. Now she will be the talk of the nation. Her true dream come true. All she has ever craved more than money is attention. When she didn’t get it from my father, she cheated on him with our pool guy. I saw them together and told him, but the funny thing was he didn’t seem to be upset. He acted as though it made him happy. It was weird and when I asked questions, he told me to let adults deal with grownup problems.
“Why does she hate you so much? Diego seems smitten with you.” I don’t miss the weird expression that passes over her face when I smile at her saying Diego is smitten with me. This is the opening I have been waiting for.
“How long have you known Diego?” I press.
She tucks her blonde hair back from her face. Taty is my opposite. We’re like sugar and spice. Only she underestimates me, and that’s her first mistake. I’m onto to her. She’s in love with Diego. “Since we were kids. We were raised together.”
“So you’re what…like his sister or cousin?”
“We’re much closer than that.” I can tell by the hard line her mouth is set in I’ve struck a nerve and now I know her angle. “So what’s your plans when this is all over?”
“Um…I’m not sure what you mean.” I play dumb. She wants to feel me out too. Find out if I’ve been fucking Diego. Though she already knows. She doesn’t want to truly face that he doesn’t see her the way he sees me. I observed him interacting with her at the bar the night we met and before he left earlier. He doesn’t look at her sexually.
“When Diego gets what he wants and goes back to his life. What will you do when he no longer has use for you?”
“Whatever I want.”
“You don’t think that he really wants you when this is over, do you?”
I don’t answer because that’s not really of her business, and I don’t know how I feel about Diego. It’s seriously complicated. I can’t even put this whole fucked up situation into words. I glance off staring at the wall.
“You do. That’s cute. The captive falling for the man who used and abused her. Because that’s what this is. You’re a pawn in his game and you mean absolutely nothing to him. Nothing. He’s only using you to get to his stepfather. He doesn’t even like you.”
I suck in a breath. Maybe what she says is true, but he didn’t fuck me like I was nothing. That doesn’t matter though. This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I channel my inner bitch. I think about what Consuela would do or say in this moment. I may hate my stepmother, but her bitch game is strong, and I learned from the master. At least she gave me something. “You’re right. I’m nothing to Diego, and he means absolutely nothing to me. He’s not here so let’s cut the crap. You don’t like me. You’re jealous of the attachment you think we share, but you’re pretending to be all hard about it when there isn’t any need. If you want him go for it. Why not take me out of the equation so you can have him all to yourself? I may not know him
well but your desperation to get his attention reeks. It’s fucking sad and kind of pathetic. And, girlfriend, he isn’t ever going to fuck you. He won’t beg you to sit on his face or to ride that big dick.” I smirk. “It’s so big. If he were here now, I might let you watch us for sport.”
“I should have let your hand get infected.”
“But that would have made you look bad to Diego and we can’t have that.” I laugh feeling a little crazy and out of control. Her fists clench. I go for the kill. When she arrived here, she didn’t seem upset. If the man I love’s mother was dying I think I’d be more upset and wanting to be at his side for him to lean on during such a difficult time. She’s up to something. “His mom isn’t dying, is she? You couldn’t stand the thought of him here alone with me. Nothing to do but fuck day in and day out.” I smile knowing I’ve hit a nerve, but I want her to make a move. She has a car out front and it’s now or never if I’m going to make my escape.
I can’t believe my luck when I see her keys laying on the kitchen counter. I pretend not to notice.
“Huuuh,” she whisper laughs under breath as she shakes her head. Taty shifts and lunges but I’m ready for her. I dodge her advance at the last second and all the bitch connects with is the couch cushion I was sitting on. A loaded syringe is in her right hand and as she whips around to face me, I go for the keys.
Taty rushes me from behind. “He’s mine!” She cries and attempts to plunge the syringe in my neck, but somehow, she misses me. I don’t hesitate to grab Diego’s empty beer bottle from the counter and swing. I connect with her temple. I don’t hit her hard enough to knock her out. The impact is enough to stun her. While she’s distracted and rubbing her head I go for the door, keys to her car in hand.
I’m not maneuvering fast enough because as soon as my feet hit the steps, she’s charging out the door behind me with that syringe. Who knows what she’s trying to inject me with? My guess is she wants to drug me and dump in that grave she helped Diego dig for real. Screw that. I shake my head as that feeling of bugs crawling on my skin returns and keep moving. There is no way I will find the right key and get inside her car before she reaches me. I have a choice to make. Go for the car and pray I can fight her off or make a run for it and circle back to the car.
I make a run for it. It’ll be dark soon and hopefully I won’t get lost along the way as I use the cloak of the trees for protection. I should be trying to keep track of where I’m going but fight or flight has kicked in. My lungs burn as my legs propel me forward, further away from the cabin.
“You can run, but you can’t hide. There’s nowhere to go,” she howls, the wind carrying her voice over the trees. My hair clings to my face and my nose starts to drip from the cool early autumn air. I dare to glance behind me as I navigate through the trees, but I don’t see her. Needing to take a break to catch my breath I dip behind a large tree and drop to the ground resting my back against the thick trunk. I hear the ground squish and leaves rustle as she grows closer to my location.