AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s what Dr. Collins says.” She grins. “But I’m happy to do a little bit of everything. Let me know how it goes with Cammie.”
“Will do. See ya later.”
She waves while I head for the elevator, entering it before it climbs up to the fourth floor. My pulse instantly throbs. I really have no idea what to tell this girl. Sure, I remember her. She was quiet. Cried a lot. Kind of like me.
Except unlike me, she didn’t become a murderer, so at least she has that going for her. Silver lining and all that.
As soon as I walk in, I spot her sitting alone in front of a laptop. I remember being able to count the amount of ribs she had while they…
My gut churns.
I don’t want to go back there. Not now. But I can’t stop it, not when I’m in this place, seeing the woman I was once locked away with.
There were so many at the house with Elsie and me, some coming and going, others never returning again.
Because they were dead.
They’d show us photos.
Made us scared to get help.
That’s what happens to little girls who don’t know how to keep quiet. You’re gonna keep quiet, right, Kayla?
Of course I did. I’d never risk my or Elsie’s lives.
Closing my eyes for a moment, I drag in a long breath to get courage in my system before I nonchalantly take an empty seat beside her.
She glances my way and smiles shyly before she continues reading something on the screen I can’t make out.
“Hey, Cammie. Nice to see you.”
“Hey, Kayla.” She gives me a timid glance. “You don’t come here much anymore.”
“Yeah.” I shrug. “Usually at my place. I come here to see Dr. Collins, though. Are you seeing him too, or one of the other ones?”
“Yeah, I see him.” She bites the inside of her cheek, eyeing me nervously. “He’s okay, I guess.”
I focus on her. She looks younger than she is. More eighteen versus the twenty-five that she is.
“He actually suggested I take on yoga and meditation. Can you imagine me doing that?” I let out a dry laugh, pretending I’m doing a meditation prayer pose and humming to myself.
Her laughter slips free. It’s nice to see her laughing. I don’t ever remember her doing that.
“That’s crazy.” She shakes her head. “No way would I even bother with that mumbo jumbo. Therapy is bullshit anyway. I don’t know why those people think they can help us or something.” Her features tighten, and her voice drops. “How can they help us if they have no idea about any of it?”
I nod. “You’re one hundred percent right.”
I struggle to say the next few words because I don’t really believe them, but if I can make her believe, that’s enough.
“It’s why we need each other. To talk to one another. Becausewe understand. We know. Because we endured it together.”
She drops her face and stares into her lap. Her chin trembles, and she takes a few seconds before she speaks again.
“I don’t know why I’m still alive.” Her tears shine in her eyes.
“You’re alive because they just happened not to kill you.”
Her eyes burst.
