AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And you never take medication? Ever?”
Her gaze falls to the comforter. “That’s new. This was a first time I tried doing it without help.”
“Can I ask why?”
Her shoulders start to shrug, but she speaks instead. “The doctor gave me these pills, but they made me so hazy, I hated taking them. I don’t like feeling like I’m out of control.” She pauses like every word could be a trap. “My stepmom used to force me to take them, but then...” Her voice trails off mid thought. “I don’t trust… pills.”
“When was the last time you—”
“The night before I left. They’re the reason I don’t remember everything, why I can’t trust the parts I do remember.” The muscles in her face twist as she seems to struggle through her thoughts. “Your mom is nice. I don’t know why I hugged her.”
I smile to let her know it wasn’t weird. “She’s huggable. I was never one for a lot of physical contact, but she’s been an exception. One hug from her can turn the world around.”
Sunny rubs her hand over her mouth. “Why am I in the main house? I thought you were taking me to the bunkhouse.”
“I knew you wouldn’t rest there.”
“Did Buddy’s head explode when he heard I was in here?”
“Minor nuclear blast. It helped that even Carl stood up for you.” I hate to admit that I owe him for that moment of loyalty. “Dad went to bed early. I’m sure you’ll be up and moving before he wakes up anyway.”
She shifts like she’s going to stand. “I’ll go now. I’m feeling better.”
The door pushes back, and Mom enters, a dinner plate in hand. “Sit your tail end back down, young lady. You need a good night’s rest, and heaven knows, you’re not gonna find it with all those men.”
Sunny shifts back, taking the plate from Mom. “I feel like I’m intruding. I never meant to get in the way.”
“Nonsense. You’re one of the staff. We take care of our own. Besides, Everett isn’t any good at stall cleaning or grooming. You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you tomorrow. A good night’s rest will do you wonders.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you,” I tell her, hoping to set her fears at ease.
Mom scoffs. “You’ll do nothing of the sort. It’s one thing to have her out there with all those men. You can’t possibly believe I’ll let you sleep in a room alone. Not in my house, young man.”
“I’ll set up an air mattress, Mom. It’s not a big deal. We’re just friends.”
She rolls her eyes. “In my day, none of this happened. Boys and girls were never just friends.” She motions to the corner. “Over there against the wall, and your rear stays glued to that mattress, you understand?”
I laugh like she’s got to be kidding. I’ve never given her any reason not to trust me. This isn’t about getting romantic. It’s about that look of terror I saw in Sunny’s eyes and needing to be here in case it happens again.
“Yes ma’am, I understand.”
Maybe she gets my concern because she nods for the exit. “You better get ready for sleep then. You need that mattress and something to wear, and my patient is going to sleep the second she finishes her food.”
I look to Sunny like maybe she can help me, but she tilts her head toward the door as well. “You heard her. Get steppin’.”
“I’m outnumbered.” But no amount of complaining will get me out of it. Mom takes a seat beside Sunny on the bed. I glance back once, but Sunny’s looking better by the second. Still, I can’t erase the memory of her fright from my mind. The demons inside her are beaten back for the time being, but I know better than anyone that it doesn’t last forever.
Sunny
The hallway echoes, each footstep seems to bounce from wall to wall. The porcelain tiles do nothing to damper the sound. The walls tilt left, then right, my heart races the closer I get. My body screams at me to go back, turn around, anything to be free of what comes next. I inch to the end of the hall, but I can’t go further. Whipping back, I search for the exit, but the world around me shifts.
Blinding sunlight replaces the hall. I squint, but still nothing makes sense. A shrill whinny pierces my eardrum. I cup my hands over my ears, but it worms its way into my brain. Bending forward, I fall to the ground, knees wet from the damp earth. Thundering hooves shake the earth.
They’re coming for me.
I claw at the ground, trying to propel myself in another direction. Rough hands shove me forward. Voices boom around me, all nonsense, nothing clear, just enough to make my mind spin. I can’t see anything. It’s too bright. No matter how much I try to squint or shield my eyes, I can’t fight the feeling. It hurts. I can’t beat it.
“Take these!” Charlene shoves the pills in my mouth. Her long nails dig into my cheeks. I fight to spit them out, but her grip pins my jaw in place. “Just listen to me. Why won’t you listen to me?”
