Page 56 of Ready Or Not

Sorry? She’s sorry? I scoff. “Fuck off.” I don’t need her pity. I want to rip my hair out. To scream and go crazy and kill everything that ever hurt me.

Softly, Rachel says, “I would have helped you kill her if that means anything.”

I freeze. My entire body locks up.

She’s mocking me.

I whirl on Rachel, about to lay into her, but her face is angry. She isn’t looking at me, just kicking a clump of grass. She doesn’t usually show emotions, but right now, there’s pure, venomous rage all over her face.

I falter.

Rachel is a terrible liar, but she looks serious. For a moment, she looks like me—a little wild. And that makes me pause.

No one has ever offered to kill for me.No one. They all told me how crazy I was. How I needed therapy. How I couldn’t kill her, as Manson said.

I force a swallow, then immediately straighten. Rachel was mocking me. She had to be.

“Get on.” I motion at the bike. I have people to kill.

I get us going again, but the whole ride, I can’t get my quiet doe’s offer out of my head.

28

Dark Room - Foreign Figures, Jonny T

Age 6

“Riley bear,” Noel’s voice comes from the house. A cockroach skitters past me, but I barely notice. This place isn’t as bad as some of the other ones before.

“Riley! Where are you? Let’s play.” The sounds of his friend’s voices filter into the shed. It’s hot in the shed, but I knew he’d look for me in my room. Mom’s at work. She always is when he has his friends over. They look at me in a way that makes me uncomfortable. When I told her that, she shrugged me off. Said I was being dramatic.

A shiver runs through me despite the heat.

“Looks like she’s already playing.” There are deep chuckles.

I squeeze my eyes shut. I should have run farther. Surely, they’ll leave me alone.

“Ready or not, here we come.”

I shrink further behind the lawn mower, breathing in the hot air and smell of stale grass. I crouch there for what feels like hours. Then, I hear deep voices outside.

“You’re just making this more fun, Riley.”

The shed door opens, and heavy footsteps pound in. There’s silence for a second, and I hold my breath.

“There you are.” A heavy hand lands on my shoulder.

I dart to my feet. It’s one of Noel’s friends. One who watches me heavily. His eyes are dark and full of something mean. I smile, trying to lighten the mood. “Sorry, I fell asleep.”

“Yeah?” His mouth kicks up in a smile.

“Yeah.” I glance out the door.

“In here!”

I see Noel and two more of his friends come up. Despite the heat, they step into the shed. All of them are smiling at me. One rubs his pants where the zipper is.

“You’re pretty good at hide and seek.” Noel smiles at me. “Want to play another game?”