Ren shakes his head. "No, it was kind of like she was waiting for us."
"How did she feel about coming here?"
"Not happy about it at all," he responds. “But Declan's a pretty persuasive guy."
I immediately bristle, my words clipped as I ask, "What is that supposed to mean?"
Ren glances at me, surprise on his features but then, after a moment, he says, “Nothing bad. Just that the man has a way with words to make people understand."
I don't know why I'm so defensive of this person. Maybe it's how Lilith has explained the situation to me. And how Jessica explained the significance of her even being alive.
Regardless, I have a deep need for her not to be harmed.
Lilith walks down the hall and I move to follow her, but Jessica's hand on my arm stops me. I turn back to her and shesays, "We're going to wait up here. Then, if you get overwhelmed or you need a minute, we'll be here for you."
Part of me is torn, because having them there would be helpful. But she's correct in the idea that if I get overwhelmed and need to break-free, it’s good to have them waiting for me. I give her a grateful smile, leaning in for a quick hug before silently turning and going after Lilith who’s now standing in the middle of the hallway by an open door.
I pause by my father who has stepped back along the wall, looking as uncomfortable as I’ve ever seen him. "I'm going to wait here too. But if you need me to come down, you just yell."
I give him a quick hug, then allow Ren to lead me to the open door where he follows Lilith down, allowing me to come at my own pace.
Slowly, I make my way down the stairs taking them one by one until eventually I make it to the bottom. I'm in the middle of the room and I glance to the left, finding nothing but dusty, empty space. I slowly scan around, turning my head until I stop on a woman sitting in a chair with her back to me. Further inspection reveals Darius, Declan, and Ren standing back, waiting for me.
My eyes fall to the concrete, the smell of cold and dust invading my senses. I wrap my arms around my middle, contemplating pulling the plug on the entire thing. Of turning tail and running back up the stairs and out of the house as fast as my feet can take me.
And that's when I hear it.
The first strain of a hummed tune I’d know anywhere.
My eyes close, allowing what should be a foreign tune to twist itself around until I can play it back again. That now familiar melody reverberates in my brain, boomerangs back around on nostalgia and a memory.
41
A LIGHT IN THE DARK
20-ISH YEARS AGO…
CASSIDY
The silence is quiet.
“Hello?” I whisper.
Once again, I’m met with nothing.
I’m unsure how much time has passed since the last time therewasan answer. The narrow windows used to show me when the sun was awake, but someone boarded them up, leaving me lost in the dark.
At first, I was scared, jumped at every little squeak and drip. After a while, the dark became normal, but then I was just cold. Tired. Hungry.
Luckily, someone sneaks in the dark. A magical person who brings me things. Food. Water. Blankets.
I never hear them come, but sometimes I hear them go with a soft click that reminds me I’m all by myself. Of how dark the dark is.
I shiver, pull the blanket up over my shoulders, do my best to ignore the pain in my belly. I’m so used to being hungry thatit usually doesn’t bother me, so it must be that it’s been longer than usual.
I scratch my arm then force myself to stop. My hand starts to lift to my head, wanting to chase the itch, and again, I force myself not to. I sit on my hands, but they quickly go numb. Sighing, I pull the blanket over my head, wishing I was tired.
“Hello?” I try again, straining now to hear something, anything.
