AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Then, why am I in charge?”
“Because you’re the best of us. Because. . .” Lunita turned to the little girl. “Because. . .”
“Don’t do it.” The little girl shook her head. “Don’t. We promised, M.”
“What’s going on?” My pulse picked up some more. “What are you two hiding from me? Just say it. Tell me.”
Lunita sighed and headed to the edge of the roof. “M wants to tell you.”
“Oh no. M? The other one. . .Hell no.” I waved my hands. “I don’t want to talk to anymore versions of me. This is all I can do—”
Lunita stepped onto the fire escape and began climbing down. “Come on. You might as well meet him before you wake up.”
“Him?!” I screamed and backed away. “Him?! No. No. No.”
Chapter sixteen
M
Emily
We made our way down the fire escape, with Lunita leading the way. She glided through the shadows, her movements slick and seamless like a phantom.
I followed, my heart pounding in my ears. The silence was broken only by the occasional groan of the fire escape. I kept my mind clear, not wanting to hear any echoes.
Shit was already creepy enough.
The little girl trailed behind us and clutched the lion under her arm.
When we made it to the apartment, Lunita twisted her face in disgust. “I hate this place.”
“Why?”
Lunita climbed inside the apartment. “It smells like her.”
I followed. “Smells like who?”
Coming inside with us, the little girl answered behind me, “It smells like our mom.”
Lunita sucked her teeth and hurried through the apartment as if a monster were about to jump out and eat her.
My heart ached. “I don’t remember our mom at all.”
“Lucky for you.” Lunita opened the door and walked through it.
I got out into the hallway. “She hurt us?”
“A lot.” Lunita sneered and headed down the hallway.
I called after her. “What did she do?”
The little girl got to my side. “Don’t ask. She doesn’t like to talk about it.”
I pursed my lips.
The little girl whispered, “I miss Mom.”
There was an odd longing in her eyes, a misunderstood sadness that made me want to pull her into an embrace.
