Cry For Help by Clara Lewis (year 7 reading list TXT) 📗

started to become matted because of the blood. As she watched the water turn red, then pink and then clear, she felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes.

“What am I doing here?” she asked herself.

As she was finishing up, she realized that she had no towel. She couldn’t bear to wear her clothes again, so she sat in the tub and shivered. A few moments later, the lock turned, and Jennifer appeared, carrying a towel and a few clothes.

She threw the towel at Evelynn who caught it.

“I’ll wait outside.”

Evelynn carefully dried herself but frowned at the stain her wound left on the towel.

“Do you have something for the cut on my head?” she called out.

There was no response. Evelynn shrugged and put on the clothes that Jennifer gave her. They weren’t new. Evelynn suspected that these had belonged to Emily.

However, Evelynn was twenty-six. Emily went missing at seventeen. The dress was too small and too tight, but at least it was clean. It was good enough.

Jennifer opened the door again and appraised Evelynn. She seemed satisfied with how Evelynn wore Emily’s clothes. In her hands, she held a first-aid box. She handed it to Evelynn and slammed the door shut.

Evelynn took her time in the bathroom. She checked the supplies in the box, desperate to find something that could help her gain an advantage and escape. She found nothing. It was frustrating to see Jennifer’s preparedness. Not only that, but it angered Evelynn just how smoothly her captor went through the motions of taking care of a kidnapped person.

Finally, Evelynn knocked on the bathroom door softly when she was done. There was nothing she could do anymore. She still held on to the idea that Alec was going to come at any moment, yet she couldn’t help but feel that flicker of hope die a little.

Jennifer opened the door and welcomed her with a smile. It was as if nothing had happened.

“I’m glad you’re all right, darling. Let’s go and practice.”

Evelynn remained quiet and walked into the piano room. Jennifer gently guided her to the bench and looked at her expectantly.

What was she supposed to play? Evelynn was not a musician. The last time she had laid her hands on the cold keys of a piano was in fourth grade when music was a compulsory class.

“I don’t know how to tell you this Jennifer, but I can’t play the piano to save my life.”

Evelynn turned around in her seat and watched as Jennifer’s smile dramatically turned into a frown.

“You’re not my Emily,” she whispered with murder in her eyes.

Chapter 6

“How did you get into my house?” Jennifer asked as she stalked closer.

The hand holding the gun shook. Evelynn scooted back into her seat. Her blood had run cold. A baseball bat was painful, but a gun? That would create an injury Evelynn could never recover from. She’d simply be victim number five.

She looked around the room, searching for something that could diffuse the situation. There was nothing, obviously, but she might have missed something. That’s what she told herself.

Evelynn was helpless.

Jennifer lifted her hand and pointed the gun at Evelynn. Evelynn closed her eyes and waited for the burn of the bullet ripping flesh. Maybe this was what it felt like to die. She felt nothing. Evelynn opened one eye and peeked.

No blood stained her borrowed dress and she looked around confused. All of a sudden, the loud crack of a bullet tearing through the wall echoed in the room. Evelynn flinched and hunched her shoulders, making herself smaller.

Jennifer grabbed the music sheets placed on the piano and ripped them apart. She kicked at Evelynn’s chair and screamed at her.

Evelynn winced. How long until Jenifer trained the gun on her and fired?

Amidst all the chaos Jennifer was causing, Evelynn took her finger and pressed on a key.

A single note rang throughout the room.

Jennifer halted immediately. She lowered the hand holding the gun and Evelynn saw her eyes get warmer. Once again, she looked the proud mom and no longer a crazed killer.

She looked around the room and brought her hands to her face.

“Goodness! What happened to the room?”

Evelynn raised her eyebrow. So that’s the trick. Do what Jennifer says and she retracts into her old self. Disobey her and she reminds you of the reason you’re here.

“Emily dear, can you play us a song? I’m feeling nostalgic.”

Evelynn didn’t know her way around the piano but there was one thing that she could play. Anybody could play a nursery rhyme. Evelynn felt around the keys and found one that seemed most familiar. In her mind, her hands had been smaller, she was smaller, and the piano had looked like an intimidating instrument. Now, as an adult, the piano was no longer as large as she remembered, and the keys were closer together. However, in this situation, the piano remained intimidating. It wasn’t because of Evelynn’s lack of musical prowess. It had more to do with the fact that one wrong note could send Jennifer into another tantrum. Evelynn would be punished.

Evelynn pressed a key and almost sighed with relief when it was the right note. Jennifer nodded along, excited to hear the opening note of a simple melody she thought she recognized immediately. Evelynn felt for another key and pressed it. It was the correct note.

At this point, Evelynn let muscle memory take over. Her hand pressed each note with confidence, and judging from the look on Jennifer’s face, she enjoyed it too.

The nursery rhyme was done in what seemed like seconds. Evelynn expectantly looked at Jennifer who looked at her with simple adoration. Jennifer walked closer and stroked her hair.

“That was beautiful dear.”

She looked at her watch and gasped.

“It’s late! Come on now, I’ll show you to your room.”

Evelynn nodded meekly. She got up slowly from the seat and followed Jennifer. Despite Jennifer’s mood change, Evelynn could still see how tightly she held onto her gun. The safety wasn’t even on; Jennifer was ready to