Trapped by Sally Mason

Author:Sally Mason
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2017-11-16T23:58:33+00:00

CHAPTER 20

The next morning, Jed summons us into the kitchen for Hallie’s birthday breakfast—to “have a good time.” As promised, he did get a birthday cake and sixteen candles burn in a circle.

“Let’s sing,” he announces and I reluctantly join in after a wicked glance from him.

Hallie sits rigidly on the barstool with a clenched jaw, her lips pressed together in a thin line. There are tears in her eyes. She seems numb, not even the slightest hint of joy on her face. I’m pretty sure she is mourning another loss. Sweet sixteen is one of those days that only comes around once in a lifetime. It’s awful to have it ruined like this.

Maisie is rolled up in the crook of my elbow. She was on my bed when I woke up this morning. I could swear Jed put something in the tea to knock me out because I never heard him come in—neither to place the dog on the bed nor to remove the razor blade and the tea cup—and I am usually a very light sleeper.

I focus back on the birthday song and finish it with a forced smile.

“Make a wish,” Jed shouts cheerfully.

Like a robot, Hallie bends forward and blows out the candles. Her eyes are squeezed shut. There could only be one wish on her mind and that is getting out of this hellhole.

Jed cuts the cake, keeping the knife at a safe distance from us, and locks it back into the drawer as soon as he’s done. His face is almost mask-like—I cannot read his emotions at all. That makes him even more unpredictable than usual.

The next few minutes are dominated by silence. All three of us stare at different specks on the wall, deeply engrossed in our own thoughts while taking small bites from the cake. I chew automatically without tasting anything and remember my sixteenth birthday like it was yesterday. It was two months before my abduction. I had a big party and my parents had pooled their resources to get me a small car, a new Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. It was midnight blue, with cream leather seats, and I loved it—at least until I was taken. After that, it drew too much attention to me.

Jed is stirring his coffee absentmindedly, probably brooding over his next devious scheme. I wonder if he will force himself on me before Napoleon comes over later today—I sure wouldn’t put it past him. Even he must have felt I was damaged and dirty after one of his friend’s visits, because he wouldn’t touch me for a few days afterward, every time it happened.

As if he can read minds, his gaze lands on me. “Napoleon will be over at six.”

A gasp escapes Hallie’s mouth. She cups her hand over her lips, her eyes wide with a pitiful glow.

I turn around under Jed’s burning stare, carefully placing Maisie on the floor. Without a single word, I stroll into the bathroom. The door closes behind me with a loud bang when I give it a good push with my foot.

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