“Like I was saying,” Honor continued, her tone unwavering, “I excelled so much so, I earned free room and board. Life would have been idyllic if it weren’t for the mean girls. Five girls, all in my grade, bullied everyone. They were relentless. I can’t tell you how many times I got locked in a closet, a chair shoved up against the door. I was trapped until someone freed me.”
Brit thought about how Kayleen had been shoved in a closet, a chair wedged under the doorknob.
“Oh, no,” Brit whispered.
“But the thing that really messed me up was watching them shove my friend—my only friend in the entire world—down a flight of stairs. She died in my arms and I was never the same after that.”
She was pushed.
“That’s tragic,” Addison said.
“Those five girls never admitted they pushed her,” Honor said. “They said she tripped, but I know what really happened. I begged Mother Sanders not to send me back to that wicked place, but she wouldn’t listen to me. As much as I didn’t fit in here, I couldn’t wait to get back. Being alone was so much better than being there.”
Though the pit in Brit’s stomach grew larger, her heart ached from the abuse her sister had endured.
Pausing, Honor addressed Craig. “Here, I played along, did the chanting, agreed with every fucking stupid thing you said. Life here had no purpose, except to prepare for the end. You controlled what I ate or didn’t eat, and when. You controlled what I said. You tried to control my thoughts, but I never allowed that. Not even you had that kind of power over me.”
Craig rose, pointed a bony finger at her. “Get out!”
Honor pulled a gun from the back of her waist, where it had been hidden behind the oversized jacket. “Sit the fuck down, you idiot!”
Craig crumpled into the chair.
“Whoa,” Brit whispered. “What the hell is happening?”
“We’ve gotta talk her off the ledge,” Addison murmured.
“Not until she finishes,” Brit whispered. “Sheneedsto get this out.”
“As I was saying,” Honor continued, “Jordan Krause arrived here and talked some sense into my mom. She left, and I spent my summers with him.” A full-blown smile filled her face. “He was kind and patient and generous, and he listened to me. The summer before my junior year, I told him about the bullying. That day, he took me to the local high school, registered me, then bought me a little car so I could drive myself to school. He didn’t even want me riding the bus for fear I’d get bullied.”
The side door burst open and Jordan entered carrying an assault rifle in his arms. Dressed in all black, he glanced around, then strode toward the stage.
“Fuck,” Brit bit out.
“We shouldn’t have waited,” Addison murmured.
“There you are!” Honor called out.
“Hello, my love.” Jordan jumped on stage.
He swept his arm around her, kissed her on the mouth, then pointed the long gun at Craig.
“Ohgod,” Brit murmured.
“This is way, way messed up,” Addison whispered.
Several of the cult members started for the door.
“Tell everyone to stay put!” Jordan hollered at Craig.
“You heard him.” Gone was the sing-songy lilt in Craig’s voice. “Sit back down!”
Those members returned to their spots on the floor.
Jordan pointed the rifle at the crowd, then aimed at the ceiling in the back of the room.
BANG!
