Scarlett Romero has spent her entire life as an ordinary citizen; going to school, getting a job and definitely not killing people in the middle of the woods on a Friday night.
Until one Friday night, she does.
All she can remember is acting out of...
Isolation is not safety, It is death. If no one knows you're alive, You aren't.
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Chapter Six "Someone's Lost Their Marble"
Scarlett's POV:
"No worry. Will explain after. Kylie not far," Alexander, like he can feel the panic threatening to drown me, tries to keep my head on straight. It works, the notion of finding Kylie helping me calm down.
She's undoubtedly freaking out, wondering what happened to me and what that means for her. I have to be strong. Alexander slows down after passing a bunch of empty rooms, the big man letting go of my hand and stopping in front of an unguarded, plain wooden door.
"Kylie," he nods, taking a step back to let me take charge. I don't hesitate to open the door, practically falling against it to get it to open faster. Pain flares in my hip as I hit the handle, but I ignore it and look around the simple cell. It's silver, with a small bed, toilet and sink. A couple of books sit on a tiny desk.
Kylie is curled in a ball on the bed, and I rush to the cell bars, wrapping my hands around them and calling to her.
"Kylie, wake up! It's me!"
I hear the door close behind me, and I feel Alexander's intimidating presence come to stand beside me. Kylie jolts awake, sitting up so quickly she hits her head against the wall. She winces, blinking rapidly at me.
"Scarlett? Is it really you?" she whispers, rubbing her hair and scrambling to her feet. I smile wider than I have in a while, nodding as she walks towards me, like she can't believe I'm real.
"Oh my God, it is!" she launches herself at me, a silent tear trailing down her cheek as we hug through the bars. I laugh lightly, rubbing her back and sagging in relief. She's here, she's okay and she's happy to see me.
"I'm so glad to see you!" she pulls back quickly, wiping a hand under her snotty nose. Her smile is small but real, if not a little exhausted.
"I can't believe we actually found you! I had no idea where you went after Tolkien had me... well, let's not get into that. How have you been the past four days?" I defer against discussing what happened after Kylie and I were separated. She doesn't know the prison tried to kill me; I don't want to frighten her.
Alexander sucks in a breath, quiet enough for Kylie not to notice, but I do. He hates it when those three days are mentioned. Like he can't handle the thought of killing me; of me being killed.
"After they dragged you away, a handful of guards took me here. I've been locked in this cell ever since. I get food three times a day, delivered by a different guard every time. None of them would tell me what happened to you, they just kept saying wait three days," Kylie whimpers, as if it causes her physical pain.
