Locke 2 (Blackwater Boys #4)

Forty-Nine

Kali

I may have been sharing the hole with Lenny, but there was another dark presence. I felt its energy. It played tricks on my brain. It made me want to scream to end the silence because the silence down here was unlike any kind of silence I’d ever experienced.

Insidious, the energy pressed against me, rousing my crazy, bringing forward the horrors of my past. It said, “You want to come home? Here, let me help you.”

I shut my eyes to escape it.

◆◆◆

“Kali.”

I dozed off, and there was some respite in that. I didn’t feel the pain when I’d been under, nor did I have to hear the silence as it toyed with me in the dark.

I opened my eyes. Against the backdrop of blackness was my little sister in her blue dress, standing before us. My hold around Lenny tightened.

Wary, I looked up at her. “Aurora, what are you doing?”

“It’s my birthday teacup party, silly,” she said and offered me her teacup.

I raised my sore arm and took it. I brought it to my lips and took a pretend sip. She skipped around the room and then her table appeared. The cake was sitting on it, ready to be eaten.

“It looks like a dream,” she squealed, clasping her hands tightly with excitement.

I cracked a smile. “It was supposed to be a surprise. You wanted a unicorn for a cake, and I just had enough to pay for it.”

“I love it, Kali. You’re the best sister.”

My smile widened. “I’m so happy you like it—”

She disappeared before I even finished, taking with her the cake. My heart dropped. She wasn’t real. I held Lenny tighter. He didn’t stir.

“Are you okay, buddy?” I asked.

He didn’t answer, but his chest moved up and down. I didn’t want to let him go, but I needed to know if there were steps or a ladder of sorts leading to the door. I hadn’t felt it when the doctor had dropped me, and my anxiety hitched when I considered there wasn’t one.

I detached from Lenny and had him lay on his side. Then I stretched my arms out, feeling the cold cement floor. I gritted my teeth, fighting back a scream as shockwaves of pain cut through me.

I moved inch after inch along the hole, feeling the walls and floor, trying to find something to climb or walk up, but there was nothing.

The scent of my blood was overwhelming, drowning out the smell of soil and mildew. I continued to stretch my hand out, hoping to find something—

“Did you think you could get away from me!” he screamed, his angry face appearing from out of the darkness. I held in my scream and shuffled back, watching as my father stalked towards me, his monstrous eyes peering into mine.

I felt too faint to respond.

My eyes were wide as saucers, my body trembling.

“You’re the only one that made it out,” he barked as he circled around me, his giant frame larger than I’d remembered him to be. He wore the same clothes he’d died in. The jeans and white grimy shirt stained with the blood of my mother and sister.

He stood over me, his face turning vicious as he growled, “But you didn’t really make it out, did you?”

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t want him to know he was right.

He suddenly came at me, his hands stretched out to choke me—

He disappeared into the blackness, and I collapsed on my back, breathing hard and fast, my chest vibrating with silent sobs. I buried my face into my hands, wanting to surrender to the dark and let my father win. I didn’t care. I didn’t want to feel this way again. This fucking hurt, and the regret—

“Don’t cry,” Aurora said, appearing at my side. “It wasn’t your fault.”

I shook my head and dropped my hands to look at her. My breath stilled and I could have died right there at the sight of her. At all the blood flowing down her face. The giant hole in her skull visible. Her blue dress utterly ruined. Her face was pale from death, but she smiled at me anyway, and it was haunting, but I couldn’t look away.

I wanted to shuffle away from her. To not have to see it like I did when I’d stepped into her bedroom to find him dead, to find her body next to him. He’d pulled her out. He’d said something to her—

“What did he say to you?” I implored, desperately. “Please tell me.”

“But you already know.”

I shook my head.

I didn’t know, did I?

“He said the same thing you heard him say at the end,” she told me.

“That you weren’t his,” I whispered, remembering the fights he’d had with my mother. The straw that broke the camel’s back was this discovery. His entire world had collapsed around him, and in his rage, he wanted us gone along with him.

“Aurora,” I said, my eyes brimming with more tears. “I should have told you to run.”

Her smile faded. Her eyes welled up. A tear fell down her cheek, merging with the blood streak. “But I didn’t run, Kali, and we can’t change what happened. You tried your best.”

She looked beyond me. “Save him.”

I shook my head. “I can’t.”

But she leaned closer and said, “Saving someone doesn’t always mean saving them from death.”

The blackness took her in the next breath.

Crying, I shuffled around the hole, reuniting with Lenny. At my touch he jolted, a gasp escaping from his lips.

“It’s me,” I said. “Just me.”

“Kari,” he spoke weakly.

“Yeah.”

He clung to me, burying himself back into my chest. His whole body trembled. “I’m scared.”

I nodded and ran my fingers through his hair. “Me too, but I’m here, and you’re not going to face this alone.”

He settled in my arms and fell back asleep.

“Hang in there, Lenny…”

But time slipped by. Minutes or hours or maybe even days. I didn’t know how long. All I knew was I had Lenny in my arms, and I would have to feel his final heartbeat. Then I would follow. I was growing weaker. Colder. Breathing hurt and I was soaked in my blood.

I drifted off, unable to keep my eyes open, but hoping when I woke up, it would be Aurora welcoming me home.

◆◆◆

“Kali.”

I opened my eyes.

More blackness. But she was glowing in it, looking magnificent. “Do you hear that, Aurora? We’re reaching the end of our party.”

I didn’t hear anything.

I felt Lenny’s chest still move against mine, but I was too weak to even shake him.

“It’s almost over?” I asked, hopefully.

She nodded. “Yes, just a few more moments longer.”

I felt the hot tears slide down my face. I was so happy. “I’m ready, Aurora. I can’t wait to see you.”

She gave me a funny look. “You’re not seeing me , silly. You’re going home.”

What did she mean?

My home was with her. And if it wasn’t with her, it was with—

The sound of metal groaning cut through the air. Brilliant light pierced into the room, chasing away the darkness.

“Am I dead?” I wondered as I looked up at all the brilliant light. It felt like a slice of heaven beaming down at me.

“No,” Aurora whispered. “He found you.”

“Who?”

She brought her lips to my ear. “Your man in black.”

I went to reach for her, but she was gone, and I was barely conscious. The last bit of my strength gave out at me as I saw his face appear, his dark eyes locked on mine.

“Little lion, I found you,” he rasped, his voice strained with emotion. “Mine. All mine.”