Page 111 of Carson

“Take authority over your body.”

“Put the knife down, and come here, Luna.”

I slowly lift the knife. “But what if I like messy?” I ask.

He runs his tongue over his teeth, clearly not expecting my answer.

As soon as he opens his mouth to order me to go to him, I throw the knife as hard as I can. It sticks straight into the shoulder of the arm holding the gun.

The gun fires, the sound knocking me back for a moment.

A sting burns at my side.

Tim notices the blood quickly staining my T-shirt.

“I fucking told you this didn’t have to be this way,” he grunts, as he pulls the knife from his shoulder.

I turn, fumbling with the lock on the door as he raises the gun again. “Stop right there.”

But I don’t.

He fires again, this time missing me.

I lose my footing on the stairs and roll down the last two steps, landing hard on my side at the bottom. “Fuck!” I yell.

“Fucking bitch,” I hear Tim say as he appears in the doorway.

I manage to scramble to my feet.

“Run, baby, run … he’ll save you,” my mother whispers on the breeze.

So that’s what I do.

Dan is already running toward me on the path behind their house. “Go back,” I yell. “He has a gun!”

I don’t want to get Dan killed too.

He wraps his arm around me, scanning the horizon. “Get inside,” he tells me, shoving me toward his house.

I try to look back but he yells. “Run!”

Tim comes around the bend, and I spin on my heel and run.

The sound of a gun firing hits my ears as soon as I step inside.

And then there’s another.

“Oh my god,” I rasp, grabbing a towel and pressing it to my side. I climb up the stairs, praying that Dan is not dying amongst the sunflowers.

I run into one of their bedrooms and open the closet door, diving inside.

My hands shake as I close it slowly, trying not to make a sound.

Please don’t let Dan be dead. Please don’t let him be dead.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you today, God. I’m so sorry.”

Please. Please. Please.