Page 53 of Mortala
Distracted by her flailing, I miss it when she snaps a hand downward and grabs a fistful of my junk, crushing it like she’s trying to pop off the tip.
“Fuck!”
Slap.
S—shit.
Stunned, red blooms across her face.My own wild and startled eyes stare down at her with regret.
She’s not Sadie, she’s not Sadie, she’s not Sadie.
Shit…FUCK.
Her hand dropped immediately; then, in the midst of my panic, she bucks like I had done to her.To the left she twists, her hands press to the top of my knee then she jerks her lower body along the floor and escapes from where my legs have bracketed her hips.
I let her go—there’s no need to chase after her when she’ll rear back around like the fucking snake she is.
Still on my knees, I watch her stand and shut my eyes when her hand cracks across my face in retaliation.It bites, heat blisters soon after I jerk to the right.In the corners of my mouth, blood begins to pool, my lip having split wide from the slap.
Kate gives me no time to recover before her punch-reddened fists tangle in my hair.Sharp stings pry at the unsuspecting roots from the way she rips my head back.The leverage forcing me to face the anger in her eyes.
She’s in there, deep inside Kate’s blackened irises.Shame and confusion buried beneath the shock and red splotchy skin of her cheek.
Terrified to reach, speak, or beg for forgiveness that may fall upon deaf ears, I stay kneeling at her feet.Prepared to grovel, kiss her delicate toes like the fool I am, worship the ground she walks on—whatever it takes to pay for my sins.
This was a setup, a trap in the making of a twisted mind.She baited me, grabbed me, knowing I’d protect myself after years of being conditioned by the military—self-preservation and all that.What better way to punish me than to punish her.Some things are not meant to be forgiven and putting my hand on her is high on the list.
Her grip tightens again, whipping me around and tearing strands from their follicles, my lips part.
Busted.
Bloody.
Pleading through the sound of her name rolling off my tongue.
Sadie
“Let me out!Let him go!”
My balled fists bang on the inside of my cell door, its hollow-metallic boom rattles my nerves, not phasing Kate in the slightest.Again, I swing my arms, crashing my already throbbing hands over and over against the door, screaming for her to stop.She tossed me in here just to torment me as she attacks him.All I can do is listen—hear shared thoughts boiling in our head as she wars with Elias.
I can’t explain how it feels to know he’s right on the other side of the veil, so fucking close, ready to pluck me out of this prison and bring me home.But he can’t reach me.The darkness is too vast.Too thick for him to stab his arm through it, drag me to safety, and breathe life back into my deflated lungs.
Still, I cry for him.My roughened throat constricts with the rusty prongs of barbed wire hooked through my skin.I can’t give up.If I’m loud enough, persistent enough, Kate will get annoyed and retreat—I hope.Her anger for me will override the pleasure she gets from hurting Elias and she will throw me out.Metal will whine beneath the pressure of her fury, free me from my cell, and cast me out of the daunting prison we share.I’ll be left to fend for myself but I’ll take it over captivity.
On my own, scampering to safety, the witch will still be in control.If she ever lets me go, it won’t be for long.She’ll haunt me, mimic everything about me, and poison my world.
“P…please, Kate!”I choke.
The pathetic plea forms knots of webbing inside of my throat before the tickle of thousands of legs inch up and clamor out of my gasping mouth.Hundreds of spiders skitter, jump, and tumble down my chin—gagging on their tiny bodies.Several more patter across my face before diving into my hair, their webbing blending with the near-white strands.
I…can’t.I can’t get them off, they’re everywhere, swarming high and low, blanketing every inch of me.With a violent jerk, my body whips side to side, trying to fling them off with all my force.
Why won’t they come off?
Why won’t they just…leave me alone!
I’m only a girl, I…I didn’t do anything.I only wanted friends, to be seen, and loved, and I…
