woul dn’t do that, Libby,” Carol Ann had reassured her.
“Yes he would, Momma. He’s not right.”
“Libby,”
“Momma, when I get home I’m coming to get you. You can stay with me.”
“I can’t Libby. He’ll come after both of us then.” Carol Ann had sighed and Libby was covering the mouthpiece with her hand so she wouldn’t hear her crying. “If I stay, he won’t bother you.”
“Momma,” Libby had cleared her throat, willing the tears back. “I won’t have you using me as an excuse to stay with that monster. I can take care of myself.”
“Libby, stop.” Carol Ann’s voice was firm. “Cole isn’t here to keep an eye on you right now and I won’t push your pa over the edge.”
“Momma,”
“That’s enough, Elizabeth,” she commanded. “I don’t want you coming over or trying to talk me into leaving. You just stay away from here.” Libby had tried to interrupt but was cut off. “Libby, I won’t have him coming after you. I will do everything I can to keep him away from you. Even if that means not seeing you.” Libby could hear her crying as she spoke. “I have to go now, baby. I love you.” The line had gone dead before Libby could argue.
Shaking her head to clear the memory, she reached over and flipped on the lamp next to the bed. The picture she’d set on the nightstand was an old one. Her and Cole when they were ten. Covered in mud and holding bluebells out to the camera. Cole’s mom had taken the picture.
Cole had been gone two years now. He tried to call or send an email as often as he could but she hadn’t heard from him in three weeks. He’d warned her that something big was coming up and that he might not be able to contact her for a while. She was trying not to be nervous but the fear was beginning to eat away at her.
“Oh Cole,” she whispered, running a finger down the frame. “Where are you?”
Chapter 10
Darkness. I was in complete darkness, trapped in thick glue. When I tried to move, a raging fire swept through my body making me scream in agony. Except I couldn’t scream. The sound died in my throat with nowhere to go. I could hear things, like whispers down a long tunnel. I strained to listen but the noise faded into the black.
Sometimes I dreamed. Libby, strolling down the shore of our lake. Drinking coffee as she leaned against the railing on the balcony. Holding her belly, round with child. Rocking an infant in front of the fireplace.
I had nightmares too. I saw the blackness swallowing me whole, stealing my breath, choking my cries for help. Snakes slithered across my body, sinking their fangs into my skin. My screams were met with silence as they wrapped their scaly bodies around my neck, dragging me to my death. I heard that same evil laughter as they slowly killed me, echoing into the void.
***
Libby opened her eyes slowly, savoring the dream before it disappeared. Her hand rested protectively on her belly where in her dream, a child had been growing. She tried to hold onto the dream as it faded. She sighed, wishing it had been reality as she threw off her blanket.
She padded down the hall and filled a glass with cold water at the sink. Sipping it, she imagined what life would be like when Cole finally got back. How soon it would be until that dream became a reality.
Her cell phone rang, startling her. She dumped out her water and glanced at the clock. No one ever called her at two in the morning. A sliver of apprehension trickled down her spine. She reached for the phone on the third ring.
“Hello?” Horrible laughter echoed on the other end. Her father’s voice. Libby gasped and blinked. The phone was still ringing. She hadn’t answered it yet. She shook her head, promising to quit drinking coffee before bed. She took a deep breath and picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Elizabeth Michaels?” The voice was stern and articulated. Not her father.
“Yes, this is Elizabeth.”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry
“Yes he would, Momma. He’s not right.”
“Libby,”
“Momma, when I get home I’m coming to get you. You can stay with me.”
“I can’t Libby. He’ll come after both of us then.” Carol Ann had sighed and Libby was covering the mouthpiece with her hand so she wouldn’t hear her crying. “If I stay, he won’t bother you.”
“Momma,” Libby had cleared her throat, willing the tears back. “I won’t have you using me as an excuse to stay with that monster. I can take care of myself.”
“Libby, stop.” Carol Ann’s voice was firm. “Cole isn’t here to keep an eye on you right now and I won’t push your pa over the edge.”
“Momma,”
“That’s enough, Elizabeth,” she commanded. “I don’t want you coming over or trying to talk me into leaving. You just stay away from here.” Libby had tried to interrupt but was cut off. “Libby, I won’t have him coming after you. I will do everything I can to keep him away from you. Even if that means not seeing you.” Libby could hear her crying as she spoke. “I have to go now, baby. I love you.” The line had gone dead before Libby could argue.
Shaking her head to clear the memory, she reached over and flipped on the lamp next to the bed. The picture she’d set on the nightstand was an old one. Her and Cole when they were ten. Covered in mud and holding bluebells out to the camera. Cole’s mom had taken the picture.
Cole had been gone two years now. He tried to call or send an email as often as he could but she hadn’t heard from him in three weeks. He’d warned her that something big was coming up and that he might not be able to contact her for a while. She was trying not to be nervous but the fear was beginning to eat away at her.
“Oh Cole,” she whispered, running a finger down the frame. “Where are you?”
Chapter 10
Darkness. I was in complete darkness, trapped in thick glue. When I tried to move, a raging fire swept through my body making me scream in agony. Except I couldn’t scream. The sound died in my throat with nowhere to go. I could hear things, like whispers down a long tunnel. I strained to listen but the noise faded into the black.
Sometimes I dreamed. Libby, strolling down the shore of our lake. Drinking coffee as she leaned against the railing on the balcony. Holding her belly, round with child. Rocking an infant in front of the fireplace.
I had nightmares too. I saw the blackness swallowing me whole, stealing my breath, choking my cries for help. Snakes slithered across my body, sinking their fangs into my skin. My screams were met with silence as they wrapped their scaly bodies around my neck, dragging me to my death. I heard that same evil laughter as they slowly killed me, echoing into the void.
***
Libby opened her eyes slowly, savoring the dream before it disappeared. Her hand rested protectively on her belly where in her dream, a child had been growing. She tried to hold onto the dream as it faded. She sighed, wishing it had been reality as she threw off her blanket.
She padded down the hall and filled a glass with cold water at the sink. Sipping it, she imagined what life would be like when Cole finally got back. How soon it would be until that dream became a reality.
Her cell phone rang, startling her. She dumped out her water and glanced at the clock. No one ever called her at two in the morning. A sliver of apprehension trickled down her spine. She reached for the phone on the third ring.
“Hello?” Horrible laughter echoed on the other end. Her father’s voice. Libby gasped and blinked. The phone was still ringing. She hadn’t answered it yet. She shook her head, promising to quit drinking coffee before bed. She took a deep breath and picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
“Elizabeth Michaels?” The voice was stern and articulated. Not her father.
“Yes, this is Elizabeth.”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry
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