CHAPTER ONE: WINTER

I lost my religion a long time ago.

But for the first time in years, I can't help but to pray as my car roughly jostles beneath me.

If there's a god, surely they'll take pity on me. Because no God would ever want to throw someone directly in the hands of the devil, right?

And yet, even as I plead and try to bargain with whatever god is listening, I know that it's of no use. My future has already been decided and now, all I can do is move forward and hope that I survive.

The soft hum of the engine almost sounds like a preamble for my death. The quick beat of my heart, the war drums. Snow falls outside my window, thick, white, beautiful in a way that's hard to appreciate at this moment.

I look away from it as Richard turns the car, pulling it into a secluded alleyway.

No, not secluded, I realize as a lone car comes into my vision. It's black, nearly blending in with the dark alleyway, the engine running as the exhaust leads a small trail in the air. As Richard draws closer, the car turns on its headlights, exposing the grimy brick walls of the abandoned alley. I place an arm in front of my eyes to block out the harsh light. My body tenses.

The car pulls to a stop and Richard lets out a long sigh. His brown eyes move to me and when I see the agony in them, I know he's preparing to cook up another apology, one in the string of many. Unfortunately for him, I grew full of his lies a long time ago.

I glare at him in return, warning him with my eyes to keep his mouth shut.

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