Page 98 of Stormhold

“Keep this safe,” she whispered to me, placing her ring on my palm.

I didn’t even get the chance to reply as she hurried away, locking us in the small closet.

“I’m scared, Belle,” Ari whispered through the tremble in her lips as she clutched me tight.

“It’s okay. It’ll be okay.” I forced a smile, patting her soft black hair. “Mother is just playing with us,” I reassured, holding her tight to my chest. My eyes were trained on Snow, who was softly snoring, still cradling her white bunny toy. For once, I was thankful she was a deep sleeper.

Seconds turned into minutes as we sat there in the dark closet. The music from downstairs blared through the thin walls of our home, almost jarring the walls to life.

It was followed by an unfamiliar whistle. “Come out, little ones,” the voice crooned. “Where are you?” The heavy thud of footsteps soon followed the fake singsong tone.

It was only then that I realized whoever it was knew we were in the house and was coming up the stairs. For us.

I sprang to my feet without another thought. I need to keep my sisters safe. I promised Mother.

“Don’t come out, Ari,” I whispered to my sister. “Stay with Snow.”

“But Belle…” Ari’s terrified tone was cut short when I shut the closet door, slowly exited our room, and went down the hallway. I could see the shadow of a man dancing on the wall.

He was close.

My eyes darted to our room. He can’t get in there. Over my dead body would he set foot inside that room.

Thinking fast, instead of completely closing our bedroom door, I left it partially open and darted to my cousin Ella’s room next door just as the man’s heavy boots filled the end of the hallway.

I knew Ella sneaked out to see her boyfriend, so her room was empty, and it gave me ample time to distract him.

“Come out, come out.” The man whistled with a little too much excitement.

I immediately threw her huge windows open and bent over the ledge as if I were trying to escape.

“Ah, found you.” I felt his voice right behind my spine, and in the next instant, the air in my windpipe was smothered.

“Let me go,” I screamed, trying to claw at his arms.

“No way in hell, you little bitch.” His gruff hand squeezed my neck so hard, so tight, till my hands flailed at my sides, weak and boneless, and dizzying spots started to crowd my vision.

He easily maneuvered my loose body and dragged me out of the room, and my eyes flitted to his. Through the split of his ski mask, I couldn’t see much.

There was no escaping this monster. His fingers clamped around my long hair in a murderous grip. I could feel the roots of my fine hair ripping from my scalp as he dragged my writhing body down the hallway. I didn’t know how he was so strong since he only had four fingers. His index finger was severed completely.

“Belle?” A quiet, scared voice sounded from behind us just as we reached the end of the hallway.

The man twisted my head at an angle as he turned us. And Ari stood there in the lone hallway with terror glittering in her eyes.

Panic clamped my heart.

I told you to stay inside, baby.

“Trying to protect her, huh?” He laughed, and without losing his grip on me, he started to pull me toward her. It was only then that I noticed not one but both of his index fingers were missing, almost as if they had been chopped off.

“Run, Ari,” I shouted, trying to fight his hold. But he was too big, too strong. My fight barely did any damage to him.

Ari stood there like a statue, not moving an inch.

“Run, Ari,” I tried again, but to no avail. The man effortlessly lifted her in his other arm; he groaned a bit, kicking his left knee like he was in pain from the increased load, but his grip around us didn’t falter.

“Let her go. Please let her go,” I pleaded with him while Ari looked at me with her ashen face. “Please, she’s young. Leave her. I can give you anything you want.”