Page 18 of Glimmer in the Darkness

If James could rescue his best friend’s daughter, if he could protect Reid from the pain his parents had endured, it would be worth it.

Chapter Six

The man was gone. He’d come late the night before, long after the world beyond the cave walls had grown dark. Ella had been listening to the night sounds, which seemed louder and scarier when she was alone with the crickets. She didn’t want the man to be there, but she didn’t like being alone, either. Especially at night. When he’d come in, she pretended to be asleep, and he curled up against her, slinging his arm over her, and released a sigh as if the world were a happy place.

She didn’t remember anything after that.

Ella turned over and peeked at the entrance. It was light outside. Today would be the day. Today, she’d get to go home. Please, God.

She didn’t see the man, but he probably went to pee.

She scrambled to her bucket and did the same, hurrying and hoping he wouldn’t come in. She wanted to be quiet, but the chain connected to the strap around her ankle clattered when she moved. Had he heard her?

When she finished, she dug in the cooler and took out a juice box. It took her two tries to get the skinny straw through the little hole, but she finally did it and sucked some of the strawberry drink.

A shadow fell over her. She didn’t have to look to know he’d stepped into the entrance. “You’re thirsty this morning, little sister.”

“I am not your sister.”

He ignored her. “Remember when Mommy used to make us Kool-Aid? Your favorite was red, but I liked orange better. Since Mommy loved you best, we always had red.”

Ella didn’t know what he was talking about. Her mommy hadn’t ever made her Kool-Aid. She lived in a big house in California and starred in movies. When Ella went to visit, the only thing she’d had to drink besides water and juice was yucky stuff called Lacroix, which was bubbly like soda but tasted icky.

“In the summertime,” the man continued, “we would put the Kool-Aid in ice trays and make popsicles. We’ll do that again when we have a freezer, okay?”

That did sound sort of good, except not with him.

He ruffled her hair, and she scrunched up her shoulders, too afraid to pull away.

She pretended he wasn’t there. Maybe if she ignored him, he’d go away. Like Clara at school, who used to stick out her tongue at Ella and call her “Ugly Ella,” even though Ella wasn’t ugly. She was pretty—everybody said so. Grammy and Gramps and Nana and Papa all thought so. Uncle James said she was so pretty she was gonna be a heartbreaker someday, whatever that meant. And Daddy said she was the prettiest girl in the whole school and that stupid Clara was only jealous. Except Daddy didn’t say stupid. And Daddy said that, if Ella ignored Clara, she’d stop being a meanie, and it had worked. Clara left her alone. So maybe if Ella ignored the man, he’d go away too. Or take her to Daddy.

He took a drink from the cooler—a little bottle of orange juice. “I’m glad you slept well. Sleeping beside you again… It reminds me of when we used to hide from Mommy when she got angry. You remember?” He didn’t wait for her answer, which was good, ’cause she didn’t know what to say. “You were so little then. I’d read you stories. When Mommy would come to the door, we’d both pretend to sleep.”

Daddy read her stories. This man had never read her stories before, and she didn’t want him to now.

I wanna go home.

He tapped her nose. “You used to be such a chatterbox. That guy ruined you, but I’ll find the real Maryann in there again. We’ll get you back to normal.”

My name is Ella.

“Look at me.”

She gave him her angriest look, even though she probably shouldn’t have. “I’m not your sister, and my name isn’t Maryann. My name is Ella, and I am precious.” She slapped her hand over her mouth. What was wrong with her? But the words were in her mouth, and they had to come out, because this man, this terrible man, had stolen her away. “I want my daddy!” Her scream bounced off the walls of the cave and hurt her head.

She dropped the juice box and covered her ears and closed her eyes. Please, God. I wanna go home. I want my daddy. Please, please.

The man lifted her and set her on his lap like Daddy did when she scraped her knee or was sad because stupid Clara was mean to her. But this wasn’t her daddy, and she didn’t want him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her too tight. She squirmed, but he only hugged harder. “I know you’re scared, Maryann. And I know you miss the man you thought was your daddy. But he isn’t your daddy, and he doesn’t want you anymore. He never loved you. You belong with me. I’m your real family.”

“Liar, liar, liar, liar, liar.” She mumbled the words, afraid for the man to hear. But they felt squishy in her mouth, like cooked zucchini that she had to spit out or she’d get sick. So she said it again, just in case. “Liar.”

He pinched her shoulders in his giant hands and pushed her back so he could look in her face. He got real close to her until their noses were almost touching. Almost close enough to kiss. Even though he had that mask on, which covered everything but his pale lips and his ugly brown eyes, she was scared he was gonna try it. She pressed her mouth closed real tight and shut her eyes and scrunched up her face and prayed he wouldn’t.

“I know you’re scared. I know this isn’t the most comfortable place to be. But things are going to get better for you and me. We’re going to live where it’s warm and there are palm trees and fresh coconuts, just like I always promised. You love coconut.”

She hated coconut.

“We’re gonna walk to the beach every single day, and I’ll teach you how to swim.”