The Forsaken (Book Three in The Illusion of Certainty Series)

Unexpected Gifts

I followed my father out to the living room where my mother sat drinking eggnog, or at least I hoped. I didn’t have many presents, mostly because I hadn’t asked for much. I technically didn’t need anything.

I sighed and sat down on the floor in front of the tree. Luke sat on the couch, watching me with an amused expression. Michael stood off in the corner, his face the same steel expression I’d seen many times before.

You don’t have to look so mean, I sent him.

That got me a smile. I turned back to my presents and opened them slowly, not wanting to tear the paper. My parents always hated it when I did that. But right at that moment I was in the mood to annoy them a little. My haul was impressive despite what I’d asked for. I got clothes from my mother; she said my shirts were getting holey as were my socks. My father got me a DS, something I didn’t ask for. He said it was to help me pass the time in solitary confinement. Luke got me a mount for my iPod, so I could play my music without ear buds. My mother informed me that my brother was saving his gift until he got home.

“Where is he?” I asked, opening Sophie’s.

“Off with Dean. He’ll be home in about an hour for dinner.”

I nodded, pulling out a play medical kit. That made me smile. “She’s a kidder,” I said. She’d even thrown in a box of real band aids.

I put it off to the side. There was one left.

“Who’s this from?” I asked, looking around.

They all shrugged. My mother spoke over the eggnog.

“It came in through the mail yesterday. We had security scan it and when they deemed it safe, we stuck it under the tree.”

“So no one opened it first?” I asked. “Was there a return address?”

My mother shook her head. I frowned and looked down. I unwrapped it and found a card sitting on top of a wooden box.

I opened the card and read.

Georgiana,

In hopes of finding you on a joyous day, I hope the enclosed is a helpful reminder of me. I was reluctant to part with it; alas I know you’ll take good care of it.

Merry Christmas,

J

I looked up at Michael, eyes wide. I’m sure he could read the fear there because he came over and took the card. I opened the wooden box with shaky hands and almost dropped it when I saw what was enclosed.

“What is it?” my mother asked, words slurring.

“The reason why I didn’t want to come back.”

A bloody knife sat on deep purple velvet. I sat the box on the floor and lifted the knife carefully out. My father paled while my mother dropped her glass. Luke got up from his seat and came over.

“If this is what security deems safe, then I’m really worried about what they think is unsafe.”

Michael took the knife carefully from me and my hands fell to my lap. I stared forward as the damage that knife inflicted played right in front of my eyes.

The pain, the blood, the fear, it all came back. And I was helpless as I sat there watching it, feeling it. It was dark now where I was. The Christmas lights and my parent’s living room faded away.

Unblemished skin. How did you ever get so lucky?

I covered my face with shaky hands. It was indeed dark where I was as I re-experienced every cut, slice, and stab that knife ever made. All the screaming, all the thrashing. All the pain. It was there, just under the surface. All it needed to resurface was a reminder.