Page 64 of Traces of Her
Forty
ROWENA
“YOU’RE KIND OF FUCKING CREEPY, YOU KNOW THAT?” Jared gives me a look of disgust.
Like he’s one to talk, fucking psycho.
“Just look at you.” He motions toward me. “You look like a fucking ghost. Your hair’s all white and shit, with your pale ass skin and you’re so tiny, you’re like barely even there. I don’t know what the hell Griffin sees in you.” He gives me a perplexed look. “It’s gotta be the pussy then or something.”
I stay silent, like the ghost that I am. I’ve learned long ago that I’m better off keeping my mouth shut. Especially when you’re stuck in a cabin with someone who is mentally deranged.
Jared strides across the room toward me. “Up you go,” he says, pulling me to my feet. “We’re gonna go for a little walk.” He leads me outside onto the porch, letting the door slam behind us. I look up at the moon that barely lights the outdoors. The woods are almost pitch black, barely making the trees visible. He let’s go of me for a moment, turning on his flashlight. He reaches back out for my arm and I swiftly pull it away.
‘’I can walk on my own,” I tell him.
“Don’t even think about pulling any shit, little girl. I’m not afraid to hurt you.” He smiles. I’ve seen what the man is capable of. I’m not an idiot.
I stare back at him. “Shall we?” I motion toward the woods. He walks down the steps and I follow behind. He leads the way, taking us deeper into the darkness. We walk for what feels like hours until we reach a rock formation. He shines the light onto what looks like an entrance. “What’s in there?” I ask him.
He looks over at me like I’m stupid. “Obviously they’re caves.”
What the hell are we doing here?
He starts walking toward the entrance and goes into the caves. Reluctantly, I follow behind him. It’s dark and cold inside, with the walkways narrow. It doesn’t take long until we meet a dead end. I peek around him and see a door made from metal bars. Jared messes around with a lock on the door until it’s free. He pushes it open and grabs ahold of me. He presses his body up against the wall and in one swift movement, he shoves me into the small enclosure.
I land against the opposing wall and quickly regain my balance. As I spin around, Jared already has the door shut and locked.
“What are you doing?” My voice is laced with panic, for the first time in years.
“Well, it appears that I’m locking this door” —he looks up and smiles— “and trapping you inside there.”
“Don’t do this,” I tell him. “I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He nods and rolls his eyes. “I know.”
A sense of terror courses through me.
Not again.
“It’s all up to Griffin now,” he says, giving me one last look. “Fingers crossed he shows up in time.”
With that, he walks away, taking the light farther and farther away, until I’m alone.
Just a ghost; alone in the dark.