“We’ll make a prime example out of you and your father, and when we’re done--.”
“Just me,” I said quickly.
The man behind me snickered. “Trust me, you aren’t in a position to be making demands.”
So, I said the only thing that I knew would keep my father out of harm’s way. “Okay, you can do it.”
Behemoth tilted his head. “Do what?”
Tears crested my gaze. “Take me for a ride, or whatever the hell kind of torture is waiting for me. You can have it. I’ll freely give it. Just leave my father out of this. You leave him alone and let him go.”
Where the fuck were the sirens? Why in the hell hadn’t someone arrived yet? Why the fuck was it taking Gordon so long to check his motherfucking text messages!? I was doing everything right. Everything that he taught me. I was stalling. Passing by the time until someone could get to me. I threw them every left hook, every idea that I could think of that stood of chance of getting them to stop for a fucking second.
And yet, none of it worked, because as Behemoth turned and walked away, I begged.
“Please, take me instead,” I said desperately. “You can do anything. I mean it, seriously. I won’t run. I won’t do anything you don’t tell me to do. I’ll stay out of your way, and—and I—I’ll—.”
The whimper in my voice agitated me, but I had no more cards. No more tricks. No more lessons Gordon had taught me over the years in order to keep myself safe. All I had was myself and the only bargaining chip I had.
Which was also me.
“You, for your father’s life?” Behemoth asked as he turned to face me.
I gasped for air as I tried to speak, but I couldn’t. The man behind me had a grip much too tight. The pain mounted, choking off my hoarse voice’s ability to produce any sort of sound.
And, without prompting, he had mercy on me.
“Let her go,” the madman commanded.
The man behind me flinched. “Seriously?”
Behemoth glared at him. “You heard me. Now.”
And just like that, I was free, albeit gasping for lungfuls of air.
“Take me instead,” I said as I placed my hands on my knees and panted for air. “My father, whatever you’re doing, he won’t survive it. Not without his meds. How’s that gonna look for your example-making, huh? Killing some old man who doesn’t have two days to rub together for more time? I’m sure you’ll look like badasses to every single teenager in the county.”
Behemoth tilted his head, but I noticed the tick of his lips. Was that man… smiling?
“Is that so?” he asked.
I pointed toward the fridge. “Just look for yourself.”
He peered over his shoulder and clocked the meds. “Huh.”
I caught my breath and straightened my back. “Take me instead of my father. Please. He won’t do anything. He’s harmless. The most he’ll do is call 9-1-1 and report what’s happened, but something tells me you guys already know what to do about that.”
As the gargantuan of a man pivoted his head back toward me, he licked his lips. Those steel gray eyes ignited with a fire behind them that unnerved me, and his gaze slipping down my body as if I were some prize to behold. I straightened my back. I gripped my fists at my side. I knew I had his attention, and if I could just keep it a little while longer, I knew someone would come bursting through that front door.
I simply had to stall for more time.
“You’re really thinking about it, aren’t you?” Slenderman asked. “About running.”
And as Behemoth’s gaze came back to mine, I expected to hear sirens. I expected to see an ambulance. Possibly even a fire truck, just tearing into the driveway. I mean, how long had we been there? How long had it been since I messaged Gordon?
But, there was nothing.
Not even my fiancée.
