The Sisters of Tall Pines by Emerald O'Brien

Author:Emerald O'Brien
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Emerald O'Brien

19

Madigan’s little hand reached out for the corner of the wall in the long dark hallway.

John dragged Valerie’s body out the door through a blur of Madigan’s tears.

This is the part I hate—knowing it’s a memory makes it worse.

She peered around the corner, into the kitchen, as Evette and Eli shouted at each other.

Their figures appeared clouded and older than they would have been at that age, but she could make them out in the dream for the first time.

“You’ll cost us everything,” Evette hissed, pacing in front of the kitchen table. Eli sat beneath the knock-off Tiffany light hanging overhead. It cast sickly green shadows on his face. He tossed his beer can on the floor, crunched it beneath his boot, and burped.

Evette stopped before him, her thin hands on her hips. “You disgust me.”

Eli extended his hand and slapped her across the face. He hadn’t even bothered to stand. His dark eyes bore into her as the whipcrack sound filled the air.

Madigan gasped and pulled away, pushing her back against the cold wall, shivering in the dark hallway, frozen in place.

“You’re going to get us killed,” Evette said plainly, as if she hadn’t been slapped. “You have to go. Go, now!” Evette’s voice rang through the house.

Madigan feared Grace would wake up and come downstairs, getting caught in the horrors Madigan was lost in.

In the main floor’s shadowy recesses, the banging began. Heavy banging, interrupted by Eli swearing, talking to himself.

Madigan held her breath and peeked around the corner.

“This is what you get,” Eli grumbled, but she couldn’t see him. “If you think I’m some lackey.”

Bang. Bang.

She caught a motion behind the kitchen table.

“This’ll teach ‘em. This.” Bang. “Will.” Bang. “Do.” Bang. “The.” Bang. “Trick.”

Bang, bang, bang.

Eli lifted his head, hammer in hand, sneering at her with the same dark stare that fell over him before he’d beat them. She recognized the look—knew what came next.

Phantom pain seared through her body as she braced for impact.

Gasping, Madigan shot up to a seated position in bed, blinking through the darkness of the home she recognized. She panted, trying to catch her breath, focusing on objects around the room to still her heart. Stars shone out the open window beside her and the night air swept in as a welcome respite for her deprived lungs.

Jack stirred beside her as she pressed her hand to her heaving chest. He turned over on his back, squinted up at her, and reached for her hand, lacing his fingers between hers.

“Hey.” His kind eyes stared up at her, and when she didn’t speak or move, he whispered, “Another one?”

What did I catch Eli doing? Was it real?

She nodded, inhaling fresh air deeply while squeezing his warm hand.

“I’m here.” He squeezed it back and pulled her toward him.

It was just a dream.

No… a memory, like John said.

She hesitated. At the resistance, he stopped, staring into her eyes as he kept her hand in his.

The nightmares aren’t going to stop. I’m never going to rest, and Jack won’t be able to either.

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