My breaths came faster as my heart rattled against my ribs. I knew they wouldn’t. Because Dad had spent an entire week last spring soundproofing the attic space so Michael and I had a place to practice our music without driving the rest of the house insane.
“Please,” I whispered. “I don’t want to be in here anymore.”
“I know you don’t.” He gave the side of the trunk a swift kick. “Why? What does it feel like, sissy?”
“Like I can’t breathe.” Maybe if Michael got his answers, he’d let me out.
“Like you’re going to die?”
“Maybe.” My voice trembled as I tried to focus on slowing my inhales and exhales. I played my upcoming recital piece over and over in my mind. Maybe if I just focused on that, I’d be okay.
“You won’t. You’ll hurt, though. When you die, I want to watch.”
His voice was so angelic when he said the words. One of the reasons he got away with so much, so often. It had taken our parents too long to see through that mask. To begin to worry what their son might be capable of. But they’d slowly caught on. Then, some of the kids at school. The teachers. I’d overheard his third-grade teacher admitting to the librarian that she was scared of Michael. She should be.
My tears came quicker, but I didn’t let the sobs out. It would only make Michael happier. Make him keep me in here longer. I did my best to keep my voice steady. “If you let me out, I’ll give you my allowance next week.”
Michael was quiet. Likely thinking. I should’ve started with this offer instead of a threat. I should’ve known by now that no punishment or loss seemed to change the way he acted. But sometimes a bribe did. He crouched in front of the trunk, his eyes level with one of the cracks between the slats so I could see him. “The whole month.”
“O-o-okay.” The tremble slipped through my voice again, and Michael grinned.
“I’ll come let you out when you’ve learned your lesson.” He started for the door to the downstairs.
“No!” I screamed. “You have to let me out now.”
But Michael didn’t listen. He never did. I searched my mind for any possible transgression that might’ve triggered this punishment. I hadn’t given him my cookie at lunch. He’d stopped by my and Hannah’s table and demanded it. I’d said no. I should’ve known. You never told Michael no.
I tried to fight through the memory to bring myself back. I didn’t want to live through the next eight hours I’d been trapped in the trunk before my parents found me. How I’d wet my pants. The way my muscles cramped for days afterwards. How I was scared of the dark for years. But the memory was too strong. I couldn’t fight my way out.
19
Brody
The shouts coming from down the hill stole my attention from my sketchpad and had me pushing to my feet. They weren’t like the shouts I’d heard coming from the construction zone before. These were laced with anger and possibly fear. I was jogging towards the noise before I could think twice. I hadn’t laid eyes on Shay since breakfast.
That knowledge and the rising voices had me turning my jog into a run. I hopped over a root in the path and then came to a skidding halt in front of the shed. Hunter and Sam were locked in a standoff. But I barely had time to register the move because my gaze was already zeroing in on Shay. Huddled on the ground, leaning against the shed, her knees pulled up to her chest as she trembled.
“Shay?” I sank to my knees in front of her. “Shay, talk to me.” She didn’t move a muscle. I glanced quickly at Hunter. “What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know,” he gritted out. “I heard shouts and came running. Sam was cursing, and Shay was on the ground, trembling.”
“I was talking to her, and out of the blue, she freaked out. Tried to knee me in the balls.”
Hunter shoved Sam towards the construction site. “Quiet. We’ll talk about this later. You’re done for the day.”
I blocked out Hunter and Sam. I couldn’t focus on them right now. The only thing I cared about was Shay. I cupped her face in my hands, ignoring the small jerk her body gave at the contact. “Shay, it’s Brody. You’re safe. I need you to come back. I’ve got you. No one’s going to hurt you.”
She kept trembling, and when Sam’s shouts rose, she gave a small jerk. “Get him out of here, Hunter,” I barked.
Another of Hunter’s crew hauled Sam away, but I didn’t bother to note who. I simply focused back on Shay, keeping my voice low. “He’s gone. You’re safe. You know I won’t let anything happen to you.” But I had. At the very least, Sam had cornered her. Maybe worse.
Her eyes moved. Not in the jumpy fluttering movements they had since I arrived, but as if she were trying to focus. I rubbed my thumbs across her cheeks. “That’s it. Look at me.”
Hazel orbs shifted in my direction. “Brody?”
“There you go. I’ve got you.”
“What?” She jerked, looking around.
“He’s gone,” I bit out. “What happened?”
“I—I’m sorry.” She looked from me to Hunter and back again.
“You don’t have a damn thing to be sorry for,” Hunter said, taking a step closer. “Did he touch you?”
She shook her head. “He backed me up against the shed when I told him I didn’t want to go out with him. He wouldn’t let me go. I tried to knee him in the balls, and he slammed my head against the door.”
Hot rage slid through my veins at the image Shay painted. But I forced my hands to remain gentle as I moved them to the back of her head, feeling for injuries. As my fingers glanced over a rising bump, she winced. “Sorry. I just need to make sure you’re not bleeding.”
She nodded slowly, and I pulled my fingers away. No blood. “How bad does it hurt?” I asked.
“I’m okay. Just need some Tylenol.”
“Should I call the sheriff? EMTs?” Hunter asked.
“No!” Shay cut in immediately. “No, I’m fine. Really.” She gripped my forearm. “Please. No cops.”
My jaw worked. The sheriff or the EMTs would mean paperwork. A public trail that someone could easily find in a basic internet search and follow. “Okay. No cops. But maybe we should take you to the doctor just to make sure you’re all right.” At least doctors were protected by confidentiality.
“If I don’t feel better tomorrow, I’ll go.”
I wanted to take her now, but I didn’t want to push, either. “Then you have to stay in the main house tonight. I’ll wake you up every couple of hours just in case you have a concussion.”
Shay pursed her lips but nodded. “Okay.”
Hunter intently watched the back and forth between us as if trying to figure out what the hell was going on. “I’m so sorry, Shay. This never should’ve happened. He’s a flirt, but we’ve never had an issue like this, I swear. He’s gone now, and he won’t be coming back.”
“Thank you,” she croaked. “But I don’t want you to lose someone you need.”