There were three now.
The last girl to join them wouldn’t stop crying. Vanessa had been trying to console her for hours but she just wouldn’t calm down. Her name was Deana.
Deana didn’t know the man who had taken them, either, but it was the same mask-wearing asshole who’d taken Vanessa and her.
Fern bit her lip hard to hold back a sob. She wanted out of here. Her parents were probably losing their minds. Her brother was probably like Deana and wouldn’t stop crying. Fern wanted to go home. She didn’t want this to be real.
Her life was fucked up enough. This just wasn’t fair.
She crawled to the back of their hole and dug around in the box for another pack of water. The packets of water and food were what Vanessa called rations, military packaged food and emergency water. She said whoever used this place must have been a survivalist or ex-military. Fern didn’t care what it was as long as this shit kept them alive. There was plenty for a few more days. Surely the police would find them soon.
A little voice she wanted to ignore warned they might never be found. They might starve to death in this fucking hole.
“You’re that Parker girl.”
Deana had finally stopped sobbing. “Yeah,” Fern said.
“I heard about you—”
“You probably heard about me, too,” Vanessa said, cutting her off.
Fern was glad. If the bitch had been about to say something bad about her family she might have to slap her fat face. Fern was filthy and scared. She did not want to hear anybody’s shit. Especially somebody who five minutes ago had been crying like a little baby.
“He’s going to kill us, you all know that, right?” Deana demanded as if she knew something everyone else didn’t.
“Not if we stay smart,” Vanessa argued. “There’s only one of him and there’s three of us.”
“That’s right,” Fern said. “We can take him.” She thought of the motherfucker and she decided she might be able to take him all by herself.
Deana laughed. “You are both so full of shit. Tell her the truth.”
What the hell was she talking about? Fern wished she could see. It was completely black in this hole. Vanessa’s lighter had died.
“Shut up,” Vanessa snarled. “You shut up or I’ll shut you up.”
Fern’s heart started to beat too fast. Something wasn’t right. “What does she mean?”
“He killed Vanessa’s lover,” Deana said, “when he took her.”
Shuffling sounds echoed in the darkness. “Shut up,” Vanessa growled. She sounded like she was next to Deana now.
Fern was confused and scared. What the hell was she talking about? “I don’t understand.”
“He killed your parents,” Deana snapped. “It was all over the news. He gutted them like deer.”
Fern’s stomach did a crazy flip-flop. “You’re lying.” She shook her head. Deana was just lying. She was a stupid, fat bitch. Fern had seen her big thighs when that asshole forced her into this fucking hole.
Vanessa must have punched her. Deana grunted and then Fern heard smacking sounds and scuffling. She wished she could see and she’d get a few punches in, too. Lying bitch!
The screech of metal sliding against metal shrilled above them. Fern froze. The hatch or whatever was opening.
A beam of light cut through the darkness. It was dark outside, too. “Hello there.”
Fern scrambled to the ladder and stared up at the light, her eyes squinting. “I want to talk to my parents.”
“I need to shake things up,” he said, paying no attention to Fern’s demand. “Create a little shock and awe. Who’s game? I need a volunteer.” He waved his gun in front of the light. “Or I can choose.”
Fern reached toward the ladder. “Me,” she cried. “I’ll do whatever you want.” She frowned. This was the first time he’d said so much. His voice sounded familiar.
A body suddenly slammed into Fern, pushing her aside. “She’s just a kid,” Deana said. “Take me. I can do anything you want. And my parents still have money. They’ll pay whatever you ask.”
The man chuckled. “I’ll bet they would.”
Fern started to shove the fat bitch out of the way when a hand grabbed her from behind. She tried to pull away but Vanessa jerked Fern hard against her and away from the light.
“Shh,” she whispered next to Fern’s ear.
Fern started to fight her but Vanessa held her even tighter.
“Well come on up here, Miss Venable. I’m certain you’ll do just fine.”
Fern was sure she’d heard his voice before.
Deana struggled up the ladder, the wood creaking and groaning under her weight. As soon as she was out of the hole that heavy old hatch fell closed again. The black darkness swallowed them once more and the slide of metal warned he had locked the damned thing.
Fern tore loose from Vanessa. “Why did you do that?”
“Listen to me, Fern.” Vanessa’s hand found her and pulled her close as if she was going to hug her. “He’s a very bad man. He’s not going to let Deana go. He’ll do something bad to her. You’re better off here with me. Maybe help will find us before he comes back again.”
Fern’s body felt as if it weighed a million pounds. Her stomach hurt. “She was telling the truth, wasn’t she? He killed my parents.”
“Yes.”
Sobs rushed up into Fern’s throat. “What about my brother?”
“He’s okay. I saw on the news that the police found him alive.”
Fern had been so mean to him. Never even told him or her mom and dad she loved them. She collapsed on the ground and let the sobs overwhelm her.
Now she was going to die and her brother would be all alone.