Page 92 of Lucky 14

Not safe. We’re not safe.

I stare up at the flashing light of the smoke detector on the ceiling, keeping my eyes peeled in the darkness, the uninvited thoughts creeping in until it flashes, and the thoughts go away.

I hate the dark.

Slowly, Oakley’s breathing gets heavier, and still, I watch that blinking light.

For a second, I close my eyes ‘cause Dad is in the room, and he’s glaring at Oakley. “He’s next, demon boy.”

When I open my eyes, I jerk awake.

Fuck, I must have been dreaming.

Glancing wildly around, I check the clock, letting out a relieved exhale. I wasn’t out long.

I need alcohol. I don’t sleep without alcohol.

Sitting up, I move to leave.

“Wait!” There’s sleepy panic in Oakley’s voice, and he moves to get up.

“I have to go.” There’s urgency now. I can’t fall asleep here. I can’t dream next to Oakley. I just…can’t.

“Please.”

Then I do the cowardly thing.

I run.

CHAPTER FORTY

Day 8

The plates and forks are loud. So loud. It sounds like they’re digging their knives into the plates and pulling. I clap my hands over my ears, huddled behind the big bush I found. Adults laugh, and the sound is deep and scary, like Dad’s laugh.

Closing my eyes so hard I see stars, I breathe and grip the apple I managed to snatch before people started looking at me. A big man tried to say something to me, and I bolted.

I shouldn’t have left my room. I know I shouldn’t have. But I’m hungry. And I wanted cookies. It smelled like cookies today.

As I was escaping, a big group of people who looked like my dad’s friends started coming down the hall. I knew they’d see me if I tried to leave, so I ducked behind a big plant.

Looking around the big pot, I scan the rest of the room. No one is looking at me. It makes me loosen my fingers on the apple so I can no longer feel my heartbeat in them. There’s a plant inside? This hotel is so big. It’s scary. I don’t like it. Plants shouldn’t grow inside.

But I’m hungry. So hungry my tummy sounds like a train.

So I take my apple and run.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Day 8

As soon as I break the zip ties off my legs, I steal some of Wyatt’s clothes and his mask and dart from the room. I make it to some sort of storage closet where there are no security cameras and crouch there for…I’m not sure how long. I think it’s the middle of the night, maybe early morning.

I need to leave.

I know I need to leave this villa, but I’m so entirely unprepared. I need food. And water. And a weapon. And a phone. And a million other things that I have no idea how to get.

So instead, I stare at the wall in the dark closet, frozen.