Once Two Sisters by Sarah Warburton

Author:Sarah Warburton
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS

CHAPTER

19

AVA

NOW I AM burning from the inside—my mouth making noises, my muscles convulsing, my thoughts a wordless scream. Time stops. Language fails. My mind shatters. Electricity has stolen everything human and left me nothing but pain. When I come back to myself, I am lying on my side, hugging my knees. Once there was a woman, a stupid, stupid woman …

Cristina’s face is placid as she slides the gate closed again, the cattle prod now inert in her hand. I struggle to get up, but my body refuses. Shaking, I collapse while she snaps the locks shut again—one, two, three. She doesn’t bother to say anything to me. She’s not bothered at all.

Through the film of tears, I see Phil and Beckett at the table with the medical supplies. Beckett is sitting in a chair, and Phil leans over him. A surge of fear turns my stomach and I roll onto my knees.

Over my body’s revolt, I can hear voices, Cristina and Phil speaking softly. I have to be stronger than this. I need to know what’s going on. I wipe my face harshly with the edge of my shirt and crawl closer to the fence.

“Just take his vitals and move on,” Cristina snaps.

“Shouldn’t I do a CBC too? Just in case?” Phil moves something on the desk, but I can’t see around him.

“Fine. But hurry.”

“Hold still,” Phil says to Beckett.

Beckett cries out and I flinch, my hands reaching out to clutch the fence. Then I see the syringe in Phil’s hand. Of course, a CBC—a blood draw—the first step. I don’t know what they are planning, but this is minor pain, nothing compared to what will probably happen next.

“Don’t forget the hood.” Cristina nods at the table impatiently.

Phil looks at it blankly for a moment. Then hastily he gathers up what looks like a handful of black cloth. “Is this part necessary?” he says.

Beckett looks from one to the other, then to the door. I know what he’s thinking—can practically see his inner dialogue writ large on his desperate face—but I’m helpless. I can’t tell what Cristina and Phil are fighting about, and I can’t stop Beckett from making a huge mistake. I was wrong to suggest it—our captors are literally standing right next to him, and Zeus is lying against the wall. This is not the right time.

“We didn’t go to all this trouble not to use it.” Cristina’s voice is calm now, but there’s steel in it.

“You aren’t going to be using it!” Now Phil is clenching the black cloth.

“Oh, is that the problem?” Cristina leans forward, her hands on her hips. “Are you afraid of—”

Before I can warn him or beg him not to, Beckett lurches out of his chair, knocking Phil to the floor. Cristina’s hand moves to the cattle prod, but before she can activate it, Zeus uncoils and springs. Beckett turns to the side, taking the brunt of Zeus’s charge on his shoulder.

I have risen to my feet without realizing it, using the fence to pull myself upright.

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