Page 40 of When Sinners Fear
“No. Bring the doc to the house. We can get checked out. Make sure he covers everything.”
“Knox?”
“I don’t want to fucking hear it, Abel. We can talk later.”
Knox closes his eyes and tilts his head back.
“I’m coming with you. I’m Mariana, by the way.” She hops up into the van with us.
I look to Knox, who nods.
“This is Peyton.”
The van door is closed shut, making me jump. The small, confined space is nothing like the cage. I can get out if I want, but I have to mentally run through that and tell myself I’m okay – I’m safe. Although, there’s something at the back of my mind that questions that reality.
The thought of telling my parents, of going to the police, of running away all filter into my mind, but I can’t deal with any of that. Instead, I curl up on the seat and rest my head on Knox’s good thigh.
The engine comes to life, and then we’re travelling. The motion of the van only reminds me of how all of this started. My eyes are closed, and I feel the little energy I have left draining from the cells in my body the longer we’re on the road. Sleep is hovering, ready to claim me and pull me under, but the fear of what’s going to happen next is stronger, fighting off my body’s natural response.
I want to talk to Knox. I want to hear what he says about all of this, but I don’t want to ask him in front of anyone. He’s not the same as he was in the cage. I can already see that. Maybe I only got a version of Knox that existed because of our situation.
Food, water, and medicine. That’s what I keep my mind on while we travel. That’s the priority, and surely we’ll receive that when we arrive at Knox’s house. Abel was right, though, a hospital with people would be more efficient. Knox needs that with his burns, he’s likely got sepsis, and a quick jab of antibiotics won’t cut it. Intravenous drugs, specialist care, and rehydration will be needed. Administered carefully to control the healing. His organs were shutting down, and so not going to the hospital is stupid.
“You need the hospital, Knox,” I whisper to him.
“We’ll have a private hospital at home.”
He sounds tired, which doesn’t help my own battle to stay conscious. I don’t argue, and I keep my lips sealed for the rest of the journey. My eyes are open, and although the windows are tinted, I take comfort in the landscape racing past outside.
~
The engine turning off stirs me, and I realise that despite my best efforts, sleep claimed me. The door to the van is opened, and Knox shifts me to leave. He staggers out and is helped by the smallest of the three that were there.
Mariana steps down and offers a hand to me. Watching Knox head inside, I accept her help, pull her jacket around me as best I can and step down.
We’re not in the city or residential area. It looks like the house is in a clearing, with no other houses I can see.
“Where are we?” I check.
“His house. It’s private. And safe.” Mariana’s words don’t provide the reassurance I need. But I nod and follow inside. “What do you want first?” she asks.
“Sorry?” I close my eyes and squeeze them, trying to focus.
“Shower, clothes, medicine or food?”
Such simple things. And the mention of food sets my stomach into action. It rumbles in protest of any other decision but sustenance.
“Food. But can I have something more to wear? More covered?” The jacket only grazes my butt, and I’m exposed to everybody.
“Of course. We’ll get you set up in the kitchen.”
“Where’s Knox?”
“He’s in the living room. There’s a doctor in with him.”
Mariana leads me through the house. My mind can’t keep track of what I’m seeing. Everything is a little dazed until she sits me down on a plush chair. I thought we were in the kitchen, but as I look up, we are. There’s a small breakfast nook with a table at one end, and the immaculate kitchen stretches out in the opposite direction. It’s full of luxury and soft seating. Nothing like a normal kitchen. Nothing like ours.
“I’ll be right back.” She leaves, hopefully for clothes, but as the seconds pass, my pulse rises, and I grow increasingly anxious.