PANDORA

by Rebecca Hamilton

Here I come, Easton . . .

  ***

  Ding. A moment later, the elevator doors opened. Stepping through, I kept my gaze on the floor and pulled the cleaning supplies behind me.

  My heart started to race as I approached the two police officers guarding Easton’s door. I forced myself to take a deep breath. Calm down, Alexa!

  “Yo estoy aquÍ para limpiar el piso,” I said quietly.

  “What did she say?” asked one of the policemen loudly.

  “Yo estoy aquÍ para limpiar el piso,” I repeated.

  “Roger, I think she’s here to clean the floors,” the other policeman said.

  The man nodded and turned toward me; he spoke slowly in a very loud voice, “You may clean.”

  Idiot!

  “Gracias,” I muttered as I crossed through the small space between the two uniform-clad men.

  Easton sat in the bed, staring at the ceiling. His wrists and ankles were cuffed to the bedrails. He had a large bandage covering half of his face with a few tuffs of hair matted to his forehead.

  He didn’t even look up as I reached down and turned on a song on my iPhone.

  I imagined picking up the bucket and slamming it against the side of his head. Ooh, the sickening crack it would make . . . Mmmmm! I shivered in delight.

  Turning up the music a little louder, I started to mop in the far corner of the room. When I neared his bed, I dropped the mop and leaned over to pick it up off the floor.

  “Don’t react,” I said in a low voice.

  Easton tried to sit up, but failed. “Is that you?” he whispered loudly.

  “I said don’t react,” I snarled.

  Turning my back toward the door, I made eye contact with him for the first time since I pulled the trigger.

  Easton opened to mouth to alert the police officers outside of his door.

  “Don’t even think about it,” I growled.

  His mouth snapped shut and he glared at the ceiling. “Give me one good reason.”

  The taller of the two police officers turned around and stared at me. “Is he giving you any trouble?”

  I pretended not to understand what he said and kept mopping. A few seconds later, he shrugged and turned around.

  I continued to push the mop around the room and dunked it in the water.

  “Alexa,” he spat. “Answer me!”

  Push, pull, push, pull.

  “Are you seriously ignoring me?” A moment later, he let out a quiet growl. “You tried to kill me,” he said under his breath.

  I let out a sigh as I pulled the mop over a stubborn red substance on the floor. “I should have shot you twice. Then I wouldn’t have to be here right now.”

  Easton bit his lower lip. “I’m counting to three,” he whispered. “If you haven’t told me what the hell you’re doing here, I’m going scream at the top of my lungs.”

  “No, no you won’t,” I said with a smile.

  “Why not?”

  I ran my tongue over my lower lip. Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out a folded piece of paper. Carefully opening it, I held it in my palm. “This is why,” I mouthed.

  Easton’s skin turned pale and his jaw dropped. “You wouldn’t.”

  I arched an eyebrow and crumpled the piece of paper in between my fingers. “Oh, but I would.”

  Easton’s chest rose and fell rapidly. “What else do you want from me?” he whispered in a frantic voice.

  I turned up the music a little bit louder. “To confess. Leave me out of it and I won’t kill your little brother,” I smirked. “Also, tell them Abriana shot you.”

  “Ma’am, you are not allowed to speak to the prisoner,” said one of the police officers.

  Plastering on an innocent look, I turned down the volume and slumped my shoulders. “¿PerdÓ n?”

  “She’s not going to understand what you just said, you moron,” the other officer said. “She doesn’t speak English.”

  Perfect, they fell for it. Idiots!

  I quickly slipped the balled up picture into my pocket. Winking at Easton, I blew a kiss before turning around and pulling the mop and dirty water behind me.

  ***

  My hands shook with excitment as I entered the janitor’s closet. Problem solved. I changed out of the one-piece uniform and into a pair of scrubs. I grabbed the duffel bag I had carefully placed on top of a large wire locker and shoved the uniform in.

  Before walking out the door, I wiped down the mop and anything else I had touched. Satisfied I had erased any trace of evidence, I tucked up a stray strand of hair in my hat and put on a pair of aviators. Time to get out of here. I thought with a wicked smile.

  I pushed through the door and kept my head low. Looking straight ahead, I kept my eyes focused on the Exit sign at the end of the hallway.

  As I neared the doors leading outside, my thoughts drifted to MatÍ as. What does he even see in her? When she had broken up with him, he had looked like a little kid who had lost their favorite toy. I remember opening the door to his tear-stained face time and time again after she dumped him. He had never given up on her. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. I wonder how long it will take him to get over Abriana once she’s dead? I could find someone else in the mean time . . . Seems like a waste of my time though. MatÍ as is my future, why should I have to wait to be with him?

  I shook my head as I pushed the door open. Whatever . . . Abriana will be gone soon and everything will be perfect. Especially—”

  “Ma’am,” came a voice from down the hall, interrupting my thoughts. “Ma’am!”

  My heart began to pound in my chest. Don’t stop. Just keep walking!

  “Ma’am!”

  I picked up my speed and slung the over-sized bag over my shoulder.

  Only a few feet from the door, my blood turned ice cold as someone’s voice boomed out, “Someone stop her!”

  Two Days Later . . .

  Chapter Twenty

  Abriana

  “Are you ready to go home, Abriana?” asked Doctor Porter.

  Her sickly sweet perfume floated through the air and overwhelmed my senses. Staring at the wall, I focused on an exposed bent nail.

  “Abriana?”

  “Ah, yeah,” I murmured as I shook my head out of the mental fog it had been lost in. “I mean, I think so.”

  Doctor Porter gave me a warm smile. “Have you set up your appointments with Dr. Gillian?”

  “Yes,” I answered quietly with burning cheeks. I can’t believe I have to keep reliving all of this mess with a psychologist.

  “It’s for the best,” said Doctor Porter. “Trust me.”

  I tugged at my hospital bracelet on my wrist. Yeah, right! I won’t trust anyone ever again! Well, except my family and maybe MatÍ as!

  After an awkward pause, Doctor Porter shifted her weight and gave me another smile. “Remember to keep applying antibiotic cream on the cut on your forehead and your leg. They should heal up nicely in a few more days.”

  “Got it,” I replied.

  Doctor Porter stepped forward and shook my hand. Her ice-cold fingers chilled me to the bone. “Good luck, Abriana.”

  “Thanks,” I replied.

  Without another word, she walked out of the room, her flats sliding across the smooth floor.

  “Are you riding with me, Bri?” asked Alexa from the chair in the corner.

  “Sure,” I replied. “Just let me get my things.”

  Walking around the room, I filled a small canvas bag with the clothing my mother had brought from home, a hairbrush, and a bottle of my favorite face wash.

  “Okay, I think I’m ready,” I said, as I looked around the room one last time. I hope I never have to come back here again!

  Alexa slung her arm over my shoulder. “Let’s go, Bri. The sooner we get out of here the better!”

  A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “I don’t know what I would do without you, Lex.”

  Her eyes filled with tears as she wrapped both arms around my neck. Giving me
a tight squeeze, she whispered, “Love you, sis,” into my ear.

  “Love you, too, Alexa.”

  ***

  As we walked down the hall, I heard a familiar voice. Spinning around, a feeling of happiness washed over me.

  “Abriana,” exclaimed MatÍ as with a huge smile on his face. “Thank goodness! I thought you had already left.”

  He pulled me into his arms and sighed contently. “I’m so glad you’re going home today.”

  His cologne washed over me. “Me too,” I murmured.

  He released me and ran his fingers down my arm, causing a trail of goose bumps to erupt in their path. “Are you leaving right now?”

  “Yeah,” I said, “Lex is about to take me home.”

  His smile fell slightly, before his trademark grin reappeared. “Lex, any chance I could bring Abriana home instead?”

  I watched as her eyes went dark and a frown appeared on her face.

  “Really?” she asked in a snappy tone.

  Wow, she took that pretty hard!

  “It’s okay, Lex,” I said, trying to diffuse the situation. “MatÍ as, can you just meet us at my mom and dad’s house?”

  Disappointment crossed his face. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, yeah. That’s fine.”

  I gave him an encouraging nod.

  He ran his thumb along my jawline. “Okay. See you in a bit. I just need to stop by the store and grab something quick. Do you need anything?”

  “I don’t think so . . . Lex? Need anything?” I asked.

  “Nope,” she responded curtly. “I’m good.”

  MatÍ as leaned down and kissed me on the cheek. “See you soon.”

  He turned around and walked down the hall in the opposite direction.

  “Ready?” I asked Alexa.

  “Yeah,” she responded. “Let’s go.”

  Alexa and I walked the rest of the way to the car in silence. By the time we got there, the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

  Click. I adjusted the strap on my seatbelt and nervously shifted my weight. “Lex?”

  She exhaled loudly. “Yeah?”

  “Why did you get so funny when MatÍ as offered me a ride home?” I asked.

  Alexa turned the key in the ignition and the car purred to life. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

  I frowned. “What?”

  “I said I don’t want to talk about it,” she repeated.

  A sick feeling spread through my core. “Alexa, what’s going on?”

  Keeping the car in park, she turned away from me and looked out the window. I watched as she raked her teeth over her lower lip.

  “Alexa, tell me what the hell is going on,” I said in a firm, but low voice.

  “I’m so sorry,” she apologized as fresh tears dropped from her eyes. “It’s all my fault.”

  My eyes went wide. “What are you talking about?”

  She covered her eyes with her hands and sobbed loudly. “Everything! It’s all my fault.”

  My heart started to thump loudly and I could feel the blood pulsing in my temples. “Alexa,” I said slowly. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m so sorry, Bri! Will you ever be able to forgive me for what I’ve done?”

  I turned and placed my hands on her shoulders. Forcing her to turn toward me, I asked her one last time, “Alexa, what did you do?”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Alexa

  Looking out the window, I tried not to let a smile take over my forced somber face. Pressing my lips together, I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

  “Lex! Talk to me!” demanded Abriana.

  “Bri,” I said, pausing for a moment, letting Abriana squirm. “It’s about MatÍ as.”

  Abriana’s lips parted, but nothing came out.

  “While you were gone . . . ” I paused again. Ooooh! I love making her squirm! “While you were gone, something happened with MatÍ as.”

  Abriana bit down on her lower lip and her complexion went pale. “What do you mean something happened with MatÍ as?”

  “We were out putting up posters and . . . well . . . he kissed me.”

  I watched as Abriana’s face fell. “Wh-wh-what?” she stammered.

  My shoulders slumped and I wiped away an imaginary tear. “Well, we were out and talking about how much we missed you, and then he just leaned over and kissed me.”

  Abriana’s hands began to tremble. Come on! Start crying! You weak, selfish, little excuse for a human being!

  “Take me home, now,” she said in a quiet voice.

  Blinking my long eyelashes, I brushed a stray lock of dark brown hair off her face.

  “Don’t touch me!” she snapped.

  There’s the reaction I was looking for!

  “But, I’m so sorry, Bri!” I pleaded. “I had no idea he was going to try and kiss me! I swear!”

  Abriana pulled on her hospital bracelet before exhaling loudly. “I said, take me home,” she repeated.

  I threw my arms around her neck and tried to give her a convincing hug. “I’m so sorry, Bri! He said he was totally over you and that he had always liked me! I guess I just got caught up in the moment.”

  A wicked grin snuck across my face as my sister’s body went rigid.

  “Lex, please just take me home.”

  I felt a hot tear hit my shoulder as I released her petite frame.

  Aw! Poor Abriana is crying!

  “I’m so sorry, Bri! I never would have let it happen if I would have known you wanted to get back together with him,” I apologized in a sugary sweet voice.

  Abriana’s body remained stiff. “We aren’t back together.”

  “Oh,” I said with a frown on my face. “I just thought when I saw you two in the hospital holding hands that you were already back together.”

  Abriana ran her hands through her hair. “Seriously, Lex?”

  I gave her my best big doe eyes. “What?”

  Her face turned a deep shade of red. “Do you not get it? Somebody kidnapped me and tried to kill me!”

  My jaw dropped open. “I was just trying to be honest . . . ”

  She balled her fists until her knuckles turned white. “So, as someone had me tied up and blindfolded, you were making out with my ex? Did you think that would help in some messed up way? I mean really, Lex? Come on!”

  Um . . . Excuse me? This is not how this is supposed to go! She is supposed to get pissed at MatÍ as, not me!

  “I’m sorry,” I apologized quietly.

  “Whatever,” she muttered. “Just take—”

  Before she could finish someone knocked on the window, sending my shoulders up to my ears.

  Abriana rolled down her window and Detective Lock’s face appeared.

  “Alexa,” he said, nodding, “Abriana,” he said, nodding again.

  “Hey, Detective Lock,” said Abriana.

  He leaned forward, resting his arms on the open space the window usually occupied. “Listen, I have something I wanted to talk to you and your family about. Are you headed home?”

  Abriana reached down and grabbed the canvas bag off the floor. “Actually, could you give me a ride home?” she asked Detective Lock.

  He arched an eyebrow. “Sure. I’d be happy to.”

  “Abriana, wait!” I cried.

  She turned to face me with a hurt expression washed across her face. “I’ll see you at home, Lex.”

  As she got out of the car, a small balled up piece of paper fell out and landed on the pavement in the parking garage.

  My heart went from zero to one hundred in a matter of milliseconds. Oh no! Not this again! My mind shot back two days ago when someone stopped me a few feet away from the exit door in the hospital basement. Ma’am! Ma’am! Someone stop her! When I felt the hand on my shoulder, I just knew it was all over. Ma’am! You dropped this! I spun around and came face to face with a small Hispanic woman with kind eyes and wrinkled skin. Here, she said handing me the same balled up piece of pape
r that had just fallen out of the car. Little did she know, it contained a picture of Easton’s brother with a thick red X over his face and the words, “My Next Victim,” written above it in bold letters.

  ¡Oh, gracias! I had exclaimed as relief swept through my body. ¡Muchas gracias! I remember my hand shaking slightly as I held it out.

  De nada, she said as she dropped the paper in my outstretched hand. The corners of her eyes crinkled as she smiled. She reminded me of my abuela.

  The car door slammed, bringing me back to reality.

  “See you at the house,” said Detective Lock as he banged on the top of the car twice.

  Please walk away! Please walk away! Don’t see the paper!

  As he turned, I let out a sigh of relief.

  “Oh, Alexa,” said the detective turning around. “You dropped something.”

  NO!

  He leaned down and picked up the paper. “What’s this?”

  Trying to remain calm, I shook my head. “Nothing. Ah, it’s nothing.”

  My breath caught in my chest as he started to pull it apart.

  “Hey!” I exclaimed loudly. “Don’t you need a warrant to do that?”

  He ran his tongue over his bottom lip and gave me a cautious smile. “I wasn’t really going to look.”

  “Whatever,” I said in a snotty tone. “It’s private.”

  “I see that,” he said as he tossed the paper through the open window.

  Rolling my eyes, I took a deep breath and exhaled through clenched teeth. “I’ll see you at the house.”

  Putting the car into park, I pulled out of the parking space and headed toward the exit.

  That was close! Way too close!

  ***

  After a few minutes drive, I pulled over and pushed in the car lighter.

  Time to get rid of this evidence . . .

  When the lighter popped, I pulled it out and opened the door slightly. Touching the sortching hot metal to the paper, it caught fire within a matter of seconds. I held it as the flames licked up the sides of the paper. As the sides curled and dropped off, relief filled my core. There, that’s much better.

  ***

  As I pulled up to the house, I slid the gear into park and wiped my hands on the underside of my seat.

  Great, Abriana and Detective Lock are already here.