Chapter Forty
Emma
My head is spinning. I blink my eyes open, but darkness lingers at the edges of my vision. I try to reason out where I am. All the blinds are closed and the house is dark. My hands are tied together. My feet are bound to a metal chair. I’m wearing Aiden’s T-shirt and shorts. I remember a man in a ski mask. I begged him to let me put my clothes on. He did. He even turned around. I slipped on the first shirt I saw, then I grabbed the lamp and hit him over the head. Then everything went dark.
My lips are dry and my throat is the Sahara desert.
“Well, well, she’s finally up. Morning Sunshine.” Harlan walks past me. “Just in time, too. The guest of honor will be here pretty soon. I wouldn’t want you to miss any of this.” He lowers the gag on my mouth.
I scream my head off. He slaps me across the face. My lips bleeds. He puts the gag over my mouth again. “Stop being naughty. You want to drink, right? You gotta be dying of thirst. Being drugged does that to you.” He holds up a jar. I want it so badly, I nod.
“I’m gonna try this again. This time, behave yourself.”
He lowers the gag and holds the jar against my lips. The liquid hits my gut, burning me from the inside out. I spit it in his face. “I should have let you drown, you fucking bastard.”
He pulls my hair back. “Yep, in hindsight, that might have been wise.” He gags me again. “Oh, c’mon, girl, where’s your sense of humor? This here is the best grain liquor you’ll ever have. It’s like a hundred proof, baby.”
He takes a long swig. “Your mama never cared for it, either, but let’s have a toast to her.”
He splashes the liquid all over the room. “Have yourself a drink on me, Amy. I’ve been looking for you for twenty-one fucking years and then you fucking die on me. But no worries, I got Emma here to keep me company. This is almost worth jail—almost.”
The door opens. Aiden comes barging in. “Stop right there.” Harlan pulls out a gun and slides it across my face. “Take off your shoes and close the door. Were you raised in a barn, boy?”
Aiden does it. He’s even paler than yesterday. His eyes are redder, and he’s unsteady on his feet. Yet, he stares at me the whole time. “Everything is going to be fine, Emma.”
“Don’t make bets you can’t bankroll, boy.”
“Why are you doing this?” Aiden asks.
“I spent twelve years in prison for a crime I didn’t commit. Someone has got to pay for that. Question is, which of you will it be?”
“It’ll be me, Harlan. It’s my debt not hers. For Christ’s sake, she is your own flesh and blood.”
“She stopped being mine the day Amy allowed her to call another man daddy.”
“She’s still your daughter.”
“Boy, you’re cracking me up. You must think I lost my head in that jail cell. This the best you got?”
Aiden nods. “You’re right. I am going to offer you what you want.”
“And what is that?”
“My money. All of it. It’s yours.”
“I got enough of it.” He points the gun around the room. “It paid off this house. Good ol’ Franks watched over it for me.” Harlan peels back a piece of loose wallpaper. “Of course, he could have done a better job.”
Franks steps out of the kitchen. “Sorry, brother, I tried.”
“No worries. Look around, Aiden. Besides wear and tear, it’s exactly the same. Doesn’t it feel good to be home?”
“This is between you and me, Harlan. Let the girl go, and we can end this together. I’ll let you do whatever you want to me. I won’t fight you. You have my word.”
“Anything?”
“Yes.”
Harlan walks toward Aiden, and Franks takes the gun from him. Harlan takes Aiden’s hands behind his back and cuffs them.
Harlan picks up a baseball bat from the corner of the room. It’s shiny aluminum and brand new. He circles Aiden, the bat slung over his shoulder. “Be specific. What are you going to let me do exactly?”
This is killing me. Stop it, Aiden. You don’t have to be my shield, right now. Harlan is enjoying this game too much. He isn’t going to let either of us go. Our only hope is a quick death.
“You can beat me. You can bite me. You can burn me. You can cut me.”
Harlan yawns. “That all?”
“I’ll let you rape me.”
A tear falls down my cheek.
“What is he talking about, Har?” Franks ask.
“Shut up, Franks. This doesn’t concern you.”
“Well, I’m in it now, since you dragged me into this.”
The baseball bat slams into Aiden. I break into a million pieces. I lift the chair up, struggling against the rope. Franks takes a hold of my shoulder, keeping me in place. I have no idea how Aiden remains on his feet. “Here’s how it’s gonna work, boy. We’re gonna play my favorite game.”
Aiden shakes his head. “No. No. No.”
“We sure are. Depending on how well you do, I might just reward you by letting her live.”
My wrists can move a little. I stop squirming when Franks glances at me. I meet Aiden’s stare. He actually forces a smile for me. “Close your eyes, angel. It’s gonna be okay.”
Harlan points the bat at me. His lips curl in a sneer. “You close your eyes and his punishment is ten times worse. When you hear his screams, you’ll know you caused them. I told you to fucking leave. Why didn’t you listen? Stupid bitch,” he says, spitting out each word.
Aiden’s voice interrupts him. “Close them, Cooper. Close your eyes.”
I shake my head. I am here with you, Aiden. I won’t abandon you.
Harlan grabs a few fistfuls of pebbles from a planter. He throws them at Aiden’s feet. “You know the drill.”
Aiden falls to his knees. He crawls on top of the pebbles. His face is that of a soldier. He doesn’t let the enemy know he’s winning. Harlan takes out a shiny Zippo lighter. He runs the flame across Aiden’s arm before lighting a cigarette.
Aiden pleads with me once more. “He’s going to drag this out, Emma. He enjoys the torture. It’s gonna happen no matter what. I’m so sorry, baby. But I’m begging you to close your eyes.”
Aiden’s face turns to anguish as Harlan extinguishes the cigarette on his shoulder.
It all sinks in, in one horrifying moment of clarity. We saved his life. He is going to kill us.
God, please stop this.
I glance up at Franks. His expression is one of shock. He’s seeing the monster Harlan is. He never knew.
Harlan slashes Aiden’s shoulders. I scream a muffled scream. Aiden is in pain but he doesn’t let out a sound. He won’t give Harlan the pleasure of his pain. It only makes Harlan angrier. He walks over to the table and grabs a salt shaker.
No, no, no.
He sprinkles it over Aiden. He grits his teeth, but still he’s silent.
Harlan laughs. “Just cleaning out your wound before you get infected.”
I look up at Franks. He must sense my stare because he turns to me. Although I can’t speak, I beg him just the same. Please help us. Help Aiden.
“I can’t do this, Harlan.”
“What the fuck, Franks. What did you think we were doing?”
“I didn’t sign up for this.”
“You forgetting I got the evidence where that missing meth money went?”
“Do what you have to, but I can’t be here.”
Harlan comes toward Franks, swinging the bat. Franks fires off a shot in the ceiling, stopping Harlan. Franks points the gun at him.
Thank God, he’s going to help us.
I look at Aiden. His face is cautionary.
But Franks backs toward the door. “I swear I won’t tell no one. I just can’t be a part of this.”
All my hope dies.
“Then get the fuck out of here, pussy.”
Franks bolts out the door, slamming it after him.
Harlan laughs, swinging the bat in the air. “We don’t need any outsiders, anyway. This is much more intimate.”
Something rancid drifts toward me. It’s rotten eggs. I get lightheaded. Fingers snap beside my ear. When I open my eyes, though, Harlan is across the room and Aiden is still cuffed.
You smell that, Emma? The voice is calm and comforting. It’s my dad’s voice. It’s a gas leak. Franks must have hit something with that bullet.
I’m gonna die, Daddy.
You have to save yourself, Emma. You’re in the fire and what’s the most important thing about being in a fire?
Don’t panic, I give him the answer he drilled into me from an early age.
That’s right, honey. Your panic will kill you. No one else is coming. You can do this. Remember your knots are loose. You have to work them. Bend your wrist.
I flip up my wrists and work my fingers into the ropes. The awkward angle hurts and I can’t reach the knot.
Be calm and focus, Emma. While you’re doing this, look around for a weapon.
I see the empty mason jar and a few sharp objects.
You’re never going to get close enough to use those. He’ll see you coming. Think. I look around the house. What was it Aiden told me once?
I hear his scream, then, and I lose focus.
If you want to save him, then ignore everything else. I take a deep breath and find my way back. He kept a gun in this metal thing by the fireplace. It was loaded, too. I am seated directly in front of the fireplace. I look to my right and then my left, and I see the grate. There is no way it can still be there. But didn’t Harlan say everything was exactly the same? Judging from the amount of dust and cobwebs covering the ceiling, I doubt anyone has even been in here for the last twelve years.
The knot comes undone, and I pull it through. Harlan is still facing Aiden and has his back to me. I look at Aiden and show him my free hands before I untie my feet. Aiden gives me the slightest nod. The grate creaks as I open it, but Aiden’s voice cracks through the air covering the noise.
“Is this all you got, you pussy?”
“Tone it down, boy. We’re just getting started.”
I feel around for the black pouch. Please let it be here. But I all I feel is dirt and soot. Calm down, Emma. Move your hand all the way in. I feel something soft beneath all the ashes. I dig it out with my fingernails. The gun is still in there. I should check it for bullets.
There is no time for that, girl. Bluff. I doubt he’ll remember if it’s loaded. You need to get closer to him, though.
My feet are unsteady. I almost slip on the liquor Harlan splashed all over the floor. The gun is so old it will probably misfire. But it is literally the only shot I have.
The whole time I am doing this, Aiden is taunting the monster. Harlan has dropped the bat and is using his bare fists. The sound of fist against flesh would make me scream except I bite the inside of my cheek so hard it bleeds.
“Every woman left you because you are not a man.”
“And you are?” Harlan roars.
“Uncuff me and fight a fair fight for once in your life. You can’t, can you?”
He hits Aiden across the temple.
No!
Aiden collapses on his side, his head bouncing once off the wood floor.
I am a few feet away, but I cock the pistol. Harlan turns in my direction.
“Well, look at this. You got some real balls, missy, coming at me with my own gun.”
My hand shakes, but I get it under control. He takes slow steady steps in my direction as if he’s not scared at all. The gun isn’t loaded!
Stop thinking and trust your instincts. This time, it’s Aiden’s voice I hear.
“Now, Emma, why don’t you hand it over? We both know your never gonna shoot—”
I shoot him, square in the chest. He falls back. I exhale for the first time since I woke up in this horrible place. There is a river of blood coming out of him. I skirt past it, my naked feet almost slipping. Something curls around my ankle and I fall. I twist in pain, trying to right myself. He has his fucking hand on my ankle. He lifts something shiny from his pocket. I hear the sound of metal. I see the lighter’s flame for a brief instant as it arcs through the air.
“I’ll save you a seat in hell.”
Fire circles us in a strange pattern. The alcohol Harlan splashed fuels the flames. I pry my foot loose from the devil’s hold and crawl to Aiden. Setting the gun down, I place my head against his chest. His heart is beating. I try to pull him, but he is too heavy. I run back through the flames to Harlan and remove the key to the cuffs from his pocket. I burn my fingers, but I get it. The smoke overwhelms me. I give in to a coughing fit, but I find my way through the darkness to Aiden. I uncuff him, then I put my hands under his arms and try to pull him outside. I can’t budge him.
Emma, the voice warns. You have to go. Now.
I won’t leave you, Aiden. I won’t.
The house is going to blow.
I straddle Aiden and slap his face, trying to get him to wake up. “Please, Aiden. Please wake up. I love you. I need you to wake up.” I look back once. The fire is close to the curtains. The curtains are close to the ceiling where the busted pipe is. I turn back to Aiden and beat his chest. “Fucking wake up!”
His eyes open. I cough so hard. I’m going to pass out. He’s sits up, his arms closing around me. In my peripheral vision, I see his hand reach for the gun. He pulls me against his chest and points it across the room.
“He’s dead. He’s dead. It’s done. We have to go, Aiden. The house is going to blow.”
I fall when I try again to stand. Heavy black clouds of smoke cover us. I can’t see a damn thing. But I feel Aiden’s hand on my back. He pushes me forward. The door opens. The light blinds me. I choke on the fresh air.
“Run, Emma. We have to run.”
I look behind me to make sure he’s there. I trip over the porch. My knee smashes into the pavement. He pulls me up. “Run.”
It feels like a fucking marathon but it’s only a few feet. “Behind the car.” I can barely move. He can’t, either.
“We won’t make it.” It’s not resignation but realization.
Aiden pushes me to the ground. The grass is overgrown and almost covers me. He places his body over me. His fingers clasp mine.
I turn my head toward the house. A window smashes. Shattering glass rains down on us. “Close your eyes.”
This time I listen to him.
“I love you,” he says before the whole world erupts. Shards of glass and wood and vinyl and a million other things fly past us. It happens in slow motion at first. Then it speeds up.
I scream. I think I do, but I can’t hear my own voice, only a crazy ringing that won’t stop. Aiden isn’t moving. His hand is still on top of mine but it’s limp.
“Aiden?”
No answer.
I try to roll us, but I don’t have the strength for it. “Aiden!”
I close my eyes again. “Aiden—” It’s not a question or a plea. It’s just a whisper of a prayer.