Near the Bone by Christina Henry (ebook reader color screen txt) 📗

unlikely prospect, given that William was a seasoned marksman—then he would just follow after them.

And they had Jen, who was now unconscious. Griffin had also been unconscious, and C.P. and Jen had barely managed to drag him along. Mattie was much shorter than Jen. She couldn’t imagine supporting the taller woman, even with C.P.’s help. And William would easily catch up to them.

Unless we kill him. The only way to make him stop coming after us is to kill him.

But she wouldn’t be the one to do that. She didn’t know how to use the rifle. C.P. would have to kill him. Could she ask this stranger to take on that burden?

Mattie rubbed her head. Every decision seemed so full of consequences that would lead to more troubles. She felt a sudden surge of anger at Griffin and C.P. Why hadn’t they left the mountain when she told them to? Why hadn’t they listened? If they had listened then none of this would have happened. She wouldn’t be burdened with the responsibility of their lives as well as her own.

I can barely take care of myself. How can I save them, too?

She swayed on her feet, suddenly lightheaded. She needed to rest. Her body was shutting down, defending itself.

“Hey,” C.P. said, putting his hand on her shoulder so she wouldn’t tip over.

Mattie knew he was only trying to help. She knew it, but she couldn’t help wriggling away when he touched her. She couldn’t help thinking of William, who would pretend to be kind and then hurt her in the next moment.

“I was just trying to help. You looked like a bowling pin about to fall,” C.P. said, and his irritation was clear in his voice.

Mattie shifted a few extra inches away from him. She didn’t want to be within arm’s reach, although she didn’t know where she could run to inside the cabin. He had the gun, too.

What have I done? William is outside with a gun and the only other man is inside with a gun and I have nothing, nothing to keep them from me if they want to hurt me.

She took a deep breath, because panic was bubbling up again and there was no value to it. C.P. wouldn’t hurt her, wouldn’t hit her. He had no reason to. They were in this together. They had to find a way to get past William, and safely get all three of them down to the village.

Four. He’ll never leave without Griffin.

“I’m going to check on Jen,” C.P. said when Mattie didn’t respond. He left the bedroom in a huff, taking the flashlight with him, leaving her standing in the darkness.

There was a tap at the bedroom window.

Mattie spun around, staring at the curtains she’d pulled closed. William was there. William was on the other side of the glass. If she opened the curtains he would be there, waving at her, asking her to open the window.

Just like he did before.

•   •   •

William waved at her and she got out of bed and pulled open the glass even though it was the middle of the night. She had to stand on her desk chair to push the window up because she was so small.

He told her to stay in the bedroom, that he had a surprise for Mom. So she’d gotten back into bed because her feet were cold and she’d pulled up the covers to her chin and waited to hear her mother’s cries of happiness when she saw whatever surprise William had for her, but then she was curious about the surprise.

“I want to see,” she said and hopped out of bed and put on her slippers and tiptoed toward her mother’s room. The light was off but her eyes were adjusted to the dark and she could see that the door was partway open.

She didn’t hear any voices but she did hear strange sounds, grunts and harsh breaths and then a wet squelchy noise. The last sound made her feel funny in her stomach, sort of sick and scared, and she wanted her mom then, wanted to run and jump into Mom’s bed and feel her mother’s arms around her.

She pushed the door open and the first thing she saw was William silhouetted against the faint light coming in through the window, and there was something in his hand, something that looked like a knife but it couldn’t be a knife, why would he have a knife?

Then the smell hit her and she gagged. It smelled like the bathroom, like poop and pee and also something else, something metallic that left a faint film of sick on her tongue.

“Sam,” William said, and his voice was very steady and very cold, like a frozen river in winter. She’d never heard his voice like that before. “Go back to your room. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Mom?” Samantha said. “Mom, can I come in bed with you? I’m scared.”

“You can’t get in bed with her right now,” William said. “Go back to your room.”

“Mom?” Samantha said, and she went toward the bed even though she was sick and terrified, even though William had told her twice to leave.

She saw her mother’s profile just for a moment, very still, then William came around the bed in a few strides, tucking away the thing he could not possibly have into his belt. He scooped Samantha up into his arms. She’d always liked to be held by William, because he was big and tall and she was so small, but now he didn’t feel safe and she tried to wriggle away. His arms were hard as iron and his voice was the same way when he said, “Stop trying to get away, Samantha,” but she couldn’t stop because Mom was so still and she hadn’t answered when Samantha called and Mom always answered, she’d never ignore Samantha when she was scared.

“I said stop,” he said again. “You will listen and do as I say from now on. You belong to me