New rule by Anna Boyd:
Maybe you should be just a little afraid of this.
decide it’s best not to tell Teeny about the plunger just yet. She’s been so weird since all this started—barely upset, hardly any tears. I plan on using it to bash the padlock on the shutter door until the damn thing comes off, but I’m going to wait until nighttime. I made a lot of noise last night and no one checked it out, so I’m assuming they can’t hear what’s going on in here from that far down the hall. If I do manage to get out of this building, I don’t want to run into Thomas right outside. I haven’t seen Vader all day, maybe because he’s scared of what I’ll ask for next, or what other female problems I might drop on him.
I’m so worried about Ethan. Every time my mind drifts to him, my confidence shakes, but then I remember his instructions. Be smart. Get him talking. Find a weapon. God, if I could just talk to him once—see if he’s made any progress.
Noah is driving me crazy. I really feel bad for him, but I can’t sit at that wall and small talk with him all day. I finally convince Teeny to talk to him; he’s closer to her age anyway. She’s sitting on the floor, telling him all about Francesca and the letters. She’s completely obsessed with her and has invented this whole star-crossed-lovers thing between Francesca and Henry. I think she has lost herself in their world so she doesn’t have to think about ours. I can’t hear Noah’s side of the conversation but I’m sure he’ll listen to Teeny talk about a girl who’s been dead for a couple of hundred years all day just to have something to do.
God, I wish I could talk to Ethan.
Teeny finally falls asleep not long after the room gets dark, so I dig the plunger out of my jeans. There is a small gap between the shutters and the padlock, just enough to get a small slice of view, but not wide enough to get the thick wooden part in there.
I stare at the shutters a while. I need to get it open, but it can’t be obvious to Vader and Thomas what I’m doing.
I whack the lock a few times, but all I manage to accomplish is a lot of noise. Louder than the night before. It’s a miracle I haven’t woken Teeny, but she’s sleeping like the dead right now. I can’t risk them hearing me, so I change tactics. Positioning the stick above the small padlock, I push down with all my weight. The wood creaks, and that’s all I need to keep going. It takes several tries, but the latch from one of the shutter doors finally pops off.
I want to scream with joy. Instead I do a silent victory dance around the room. I push the small shutters apart and the night opens up in front of me. It’s dark and really quiet. The window is small but there’s a good view of the grounds in front of the building we’re in as well as the buildings across the street.
There’s some sort of courtyard below my window with maze-like shrubbery. From what I can see in the darkness, it looks beautiful. And far away. We’re at least three stories up and the roof tiles look slick. I debate climbing out of the window. I’m not sure there’s any way down, but maybe I can get to the next window over. If Noah is on one side, Ethan has to be on the other. Unless Thomas lied—which is totally possible.
I stick a leg out and test the tiles. Smooth. I glance back at Teeny and she’s fast asleep. I have to try this. Once both feet are out of the window, I stick my head out so I’m sitting on the ledge. It is a long. Way. Down.
I stand but hold on to the window frame with a death grip. I feel like I could slide down the roof and off the edge any second. Looking around, it doesn’t look like the roof connects with another building or any other structure, so this is a dead end as far as exits go. But I do get a bird’s-eye view of the street.
If every movie and picture I’ve seen of the French Quarter is right, we’re definitely in New Orleans. It’s hard to make out many of the details since it’s so dark out, but it’s hard to miss the narrow streets and different-color buildings, the iron balconies and old lampposts. Instantly I miss Front Street in Natchitoches, which so resembles this area.
I hear the clip-clop of hooves and see a horse-drawn carriage heading away from us down a side street. This section of the Quarter is quiet, but I can make out lights and hear the faint sounds of music a few streets over.
Looking down, I see that this building and a few others near it seem to take up most of the block. The courtyard creates a nice distance between this building and the street. I can see the outline of what looks like a church next door once I’m on my tiptoes. Several statues on the ground below look religious, like angels and other…religious-y things. I’m starting to think maybe this really was Francesca’s room and we actually may be in some sort of convent.
I glance toward the window where I think Ethan is. These windows jut out from the roof a little, but there are still quite a few feet between them. I step away from my window but each movement feels uncertain. I get far enough that I’m only holding on to the shutter by one hand and I’m still not anywhere close to Ethan’s window. And I’m too chicken to let go. Retracing my steps, I crawl back inside. Defeated, I inch into the bed next to Teeny and pray sleep finds me.
Early the next morning, Vader pops his head in but won’t look at me. He’s got a bag, probably with more food, and a few more books for Teeny.
I feel around for the stick I’ve hidden in the sheets and think really hard about beating him with it then making a run for it. The only thing that stops me is, what then? I don’t know where Ethan is for sure or if I can even get to him. I don’t trust the suits since Agent Williams’s grandson is next door. I don’t trust the local police against Mateo. We’re pretty much screwed.
“Do you need anything else?” Vader asks, still looking at the floor.
That voice. I look at the food he set on the card table and realize it’s full of Teeny’s favorites: double-stuffed Oreos, sour-cream-and-onion chips, and dry-roasted peanuts.
A sick sensation forms in the pit of my stomach. He knows us well.
I hop up from the mattress and stop about a foot from him. His eyes dart to mine, almost challenging me.
“Why do you wear the mask? I know you, don’t I?” I step in just a bit closer.
Vader tries to leave, but I run to the door and slam it closed, leaning my back against it.
“Move out of the way. I will hurt you if I have to.” He grabs for my arms but I push him away.
“No, tell me who you are.” I shove at him again.
Teeny scoots to the edge of the mattress and says with her voice full of warning, “Sissy.”
Vader stands up straighter and throws his shoulders back. His voice gets deep and firm, sounding older than it usually does, and he says, “You’re about to screw up. Move out of the way.”
He reaches for me again and I throw myself at him. He’s trying to push me away from the door and I’m doing everything in my power to hold my ground. It doesn’t help when Teeny starts pulling on me, too.
