How do you choose between the past and the present?
You don’t.
The past is gone; it isn’t coming back. The future is just a promise, not a guarantee.
But the present, that was the choice. It was now, and without it, there would be no future.
Right now, my heart beat for Amnesia. It always would.
It was an easy choice.
I nearly collided with Sadie as I catapulted out the door.
The second I saw that hook on the back of that boat, I knew. I’d been played. We’d all been played.
Sadie included.
Though I knew she was responsible for that stab wound in my girl, though I knew she had deep-seeded hate against Amnesia, I still couldn’t blame her.
She was the biggest victim of all here. Part of me would always be responsible for that.
The true villain was outside, and his arrogance would be his downfall.
The door to the house slammed behind me as I rushed outside. Knowing Am was inside, away from him, was the only thing allowing me the single-minded precision with which to end this once and for all.
I’d die before I let anyone in the house. I’d take my last breath defending her if that’s what it took.
“What are you doing?” Sadie demanded, glancing past me to the door.
“It’s okay now,” I told her, slipping an arm around her waist. “The police are on their way.”
“What?” She yanked away from me. “No!”
“They’re going to help us, Sadie. They’re going to take him away where he can’t hurt you ever again.”
“We had a deal!” she wailed, looking over toward Daniel.
“Don’t look at him,” I said, taking her hand. “Look at me.”
She listened, her round, terrified eyes seized by my stare.
“What deal?”
“He’s taking her away, back to the island, so you and I can have our life back.”
“I’m not letting him take her!” I growled, momentarily losing my cool. Jesus fucking shit, I was losing my patience.
She started to cry, deep wails that frankly made me worry. “But if he doesn’t take her, then he’ll take me. I don’t want to go, Eddie. I want to stay here with you.”
“I’m not letting him take you either, Sadie. I swear it. Trust me.”
“I do,” she said, sobering up a little. Her head bobbed.
Daniel had made it to his feet and was staggering toward us. “They’re mine!” he growled.
I shoved Sadie behind me and planted my feet, readying for another fight. In the distance, sirens pierced the night and offered some promise of an end to this all.
Daniel heard them, too. The sound stopped him cold. He glanced in the direction from which they came, then back at me. His bloody, beaten face darkened. “This isn’t over yet. I always come back.”
He started backing away, his steps quicker with every second, toward the lake and his boat.
Oh, hell no.
With a cry, I ran forward. He tried to scurry farther back, but his injuries slowed him down. My injuries only pissed me off.
I grabbed him by the front of his tattered, wet shirt and yanked him forward. He swung his fist around, connecting with the side of my head.
“No!” Sadie yelled.
I staggered back, and he lunged for me. Blindly, I lashed out with the knife. He grunted and fell back.
Straightening, I saw I’d sliced him, but only on the arm. Blood stained the sleeve of his shirt as he heaved, staring at me with pure hatred.
With a battle cry, Daniel surged forward, running at me like a bull charging a red flag. I moved at the last second, brought my arm up as if preparing to throw a right hook, and buried the blade in his middle.
He made a groaning sound and stumbled back. I stood there, coiled and ready, but he didn’t come back. Instead, he stumbled backward, like he was trying to get away. After only a few feet he tumbled over into the shallows of Lake Loch.
Sadie screamed and rushed toward him.
I watched in horror and confusion as she fell to her knees beside the man who abused her for years, crying over him.
He moaned, and I burst forward, rushing to her side and lifting her away from him, terrified he would do one last thing to make her suffer.
“I always come back,” he said, coughing. Red coated his teeth.
From up on the porch, Amnesia yelled my name.
Daniel laughed.
“Not this time.” I assured and reached down, grabbing the handle of the blade and turning it.
He screamed until the sound diminished into a wet gurgle, then ultimately faded away.
Red and blue lights filled the darkness, bouncing off the side of the house. The loud sirens cut off, leaving behind nothing but the sound of Sadie crying, the wind, and the waves.
I glared down at Daniel. His eyes stared back, but they no longer saw. Water crashed over him, filling his mouth, seeping into his nose and pulling at his hair. His shirt was stained pink now, and his body only moved in the direction the water pushed him.
“Eddie!” Amnesia yelled, her voice carrying on the wind.
I spun around, glancing up to where she limped off the porch, staring down where I stood. An officer tried to take her arm, but she pushed him off, stumbling a bit, and continued toward me.
I left Daniel where he lay and sprinted toward her, stopping only when she was within touching distance. I was afraid to pull her against me. Her shirt was saturated in blood.
“We gotta get you to the ER,” I said, concerned.
“Is he…?” Her eyes began to stray over my shoulder.
I went forward, wrapped my arms around her shoulders, and carefully pulled her in. “Don’t look,” I ordered, shielding her with my body.
“Is he dead?”
“Yes, he’s dead.”
“Eddie!” One of the officers jogged over. “What the hell happened here?”
“There’s a dead body on the shore. He’s the one who kidnapped Am and Sadie… He tried to take them again tonight.”
The man immediately sent a few officers down toward the shore.
“We need a medic.” I went on, pulling back so the officer could see the wound in Am’s side.
“Go get that looked at. We’ll talk after the scene is secure.”
I didn’t have to be told twice. On our way to the ambulance, Amnesia stumbled. I picked her up.
“What about you?” She winced. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay as long as you are.”
“You killed him,” she murmured.
“I’d kill him again if I could.”
The EMTs motioned me to put her down on a gurney, so I did. Her eyes began to stray back to the shore, and I stepped in front of her once again.
“Sadie’s crying,” Am whispered. “She’s crying over his body.”
“I know,” I said, grim.
She reached out for my hand, and I gave it readily. Her shirt was cut away, baring the nasty knife wound on her side.
“Definitely going to need stitches,” the medic announced.
“Go to her,” she told me, squeezing my hand. “Go to Sadie.”
“I want to stay with you,” I murmured, feeling guilty but unable to deny the way I felt. I almost lost her tonight. It was too close.
“I’m right here.” She promised. “We have a few minutes before we need to leave for the hospital, right?” she asked the EMT.
“Yeah,” he answered. “We’ll need to get the other victim in the back, too.”
“Go to her,” Amnesia urged. “She’ll come if you ask her to.”
I knew she would, but somehow, that made me hesitate more. It seemed wrong, almost like I was no better than Daniel and the widow. Using her. Twisting her feelings against her. I didn’t want to be like them.
I wanted to help her, but I also didn’t want to give her any false hope there was a chance for anything more than friendship.
“She’s so confused right now.” I agonized, trying to discern what to do.
A woman stepped around the side of the ambulance. She was dressed slightly haphazardly, as if she’d been in a hurry.
“Dr. Kline!” Amnesia said, surprised.
“I’ve been on standby since Sadie went missing. They called, said she was here?”
I nodded, but Amnesia answered, “Yes, she’s very upset. He died.”
“She stabbed Amnesia. She has no idea what she’s doing,” I added.
“I see.” Dr. Kline frowned.
“Will you be able to help her?” Amnesia asked, worried despite the wound in her side.
“Yes. I’ve already made arrangements for Sadie to get the best care possible at a facility in Portland. She’s going to be in good hands.”
“She’s going now?” I asked, feeling this was all so sudden.
“It’s what’s best for her. So she can’t hurt anyone else or herself.”
I knew it was best, but it still sucked. “I’ll get her,” I offered.
The EMT ripped open a large wipe and pressed it against Amnesia’s side. Her breath hissed between her teeth, her eyes closed.
“It’s okay,” I told her, squeezing her hand, wishing I could take the pain.
Dr. Kline stepped forward, laying a hand on my shoulder. “Stay here with Amnesia. I’ll get Sadie.”
I pulled back, looking into her eyes.
“It’s for the best,” she said gently. “At least right now.”
I hesitated, wanting to resist. It seemed I was somehow turning my back on Sadie.
Dr. Kline seemed to know the direction of my thoughts. “Do it for her. It will make it less confusing later. I’ll be sure to call when she’s more stable, more in touch with reality.”
“Will she ever be?” I worried.
“I think so.” The doctor smiled. “Take care of Amnesia,” she said, gesturing to Am.
“Thank you, Dr. Kline,” she called out.
Dr. Kline gave her a small wave. “See you at our next session.”
When she was gone, Amnesia glanced at me. The EMT covered her wound and announced we were heading the hospital alone. Sadie would follow in a different vehicle.
I climbed in the back after she was comfortably situated and stared at Sadie, who was finally away from the body and now with Dr. Kline. She glanced up; our eyes connected across the yard.
I had a vision of the girl I once knew, happy and carefree. Tears burned the backs of my eyes.
Then she did something. She lifted her hand and made an X over her heart and smiled.
I smiled back. The old-school gesture gave me hope everything would be okay.
The doors of the ambulance closed, cutting off the harsh lights and the sound of people talking. I turned to Amnesia, finally alone with my girl in the center of quite literally murder and chaos.
“Thank you for protecting me.” She reached for my hand.
I smiled, slid closer, and cupped her face. “Thank you for staying in the house.”
“It felt kind of wimpy,” she admitted.
“There is nothing wimpy about you, Am. You protected yourself for years and years with no help. You aren’t alone anymore, sweetheart. You have me, and I will always protect you.”
A tear ran down her cheek. I brushed it away with the backs of my fingers.
“It’s finally over,” she whispered.
“It’s finally over,” I echoed.
The ambulance started up and pulled away from the house.
“What now?” she asked, leaning her head against my shoulder.
“Now you get stitches,” I teased.
“After that,” she said, sitting up to give me a light shove. The motion caused her to wince.
“Easy,” I cautioned, carefully lifting her into my lap.
Her fingers brushed over a few bumps and bruises on my face. She leaned up and kissed them softly.
“After that, we live happily ever after,” I said, kissing her on the tip of her nose.
She smiled. “Did you get that line from a movie?”
“It’s a good line. Totally applies here,” I said reasonably.
“It only applies if it’s true,” she whispered.
Tipping her chin up with my thumb, I asked, “What do you think?”
Her brown eyes softened. The freckles across her nose and cheeks looked like stars. “True.” She decided.
My lips claimed hers.
Most definitely true.