Page 91 of Her Hidden Smile

“Hi, Sweetheart,” he replied.

Rod pulled me up by my hair.

Again.

Then pointed the dagger at my throat.

Lisa shoved at his arm holding the dagger and he teetered backward.

Rod righted himself and let go of me. Then he looked at Lisa. “Bitch!” His expression was maniacal. He lifted the dagger.

I heard the roar of an explosion.

Then another one.

Red. Bursts and streamers of red.

Like a fire, licking and dripping over me.

I fell to the ground and covered my head and started to roll.

Someone was screaming. “Get him off me! Get him off me! Get him off me!”

Then somebody touched me. I scuttled backward, trying to get away. Trying to get to the back door, but I couldn’t find it. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t breathe.

I saw rivulets of red dripping down my arm. Fire. Fire was dripping on me.

“Millie.”

The hands became firmer.

I hit my head on a wall. I needed to crawl to the door. I had to escape.

I tried going sideways.

“Millie, listen to me. You’re safe.”

“Fire,” I sobbed.

“There’s no fire. I’m Aiden O’Malley. I’m a medic. Let me help you.”

My body felt like it was on fire. There was so much pain.

Wait. There was something else. Somebody else. I needed to remember. Not Mom and Dad.

“Bella?”

“She’s safe,” the man said.

“Lisa?”

“She’s safe too.”

I sighed.

The world faded away.

Sunday night had been a blast with my brothers, so I’d gotten up late on Monday. I called Millie but got her voicemail, then went with everyone over to Gram’s. It was when Dad was manning the barbeque, and I was in the kitchen helping Mom peeling potatoes for her potato salad, that I realized I hadn’t heard back from her. Not even a text.