He sighed again. “You’re right. We can’t be sure you won’t tell someone we kidnapped you, so you’re not invited to the party.”
Dropping the spoon I was using to mix the batter, I stared at him. “You’re going to keep me locked up down here while there’s a party going on upstairs? What about Lily?”
“Lily has proven herself trustworthy. Eventually you will too, but it will take some time just as it did her. I promise, one day it won’t be so… restricting,” he said, frowning at his own choice of word.
“So I’m helping make a cake for a party I’m not allowed to attend for my sister on her not birthday?” I asked. “When were you going to tell me? After I was dressed and ready to go?”
“Calla, you’re not stupid.” He repeated my words. “You’re the one who brought it up in the first place. You have to understand why my father wouldn’t want you to go. It’s not like he’s being particular because it’s you. It took him a long time to warm up to Lily too.”
“That’s supposed to make me feel better, huh?” I sighed, but he was right. I’d even questioned the logic of them letting me go myself. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before picking the spoon back up and continued mixing the batter.
His eyes widened. “You’re going to keep helping me?” he asked.
I shrugged. “It’s for Lily. What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t at least help make her a cake for her birthday?”
The noises from the party upstairs was almost deafening. It surprised me how loud a bunch of eighty year olds could be. Okay, I couldn’t be sure they were all in their eighties, but it made me feel better to think that Lily was up their alone with a bunch of old people instead of young, viral men. She’d assured me nothing like that had ever happened, but that didn’t stop me from worrying. Now that I knew the truth, nothing would stop me from worrying.
A sharp pain formed behind my eyes from all the noise and constant murmur of voices drifting down the stairs, and I cupped my head trying to stop it from pounding. It had been growing since I arrived here, but I’d hoped it would go away before it got to this point. It was worse than any headache I’d ever had, like someone was jabbing a hot needle into my brain.
Turning off all the lights, I laid down on the couch and covered my ears with a pillow in an attempt to block out all the chatter. There was little chance of me actually falling asleep in this position, but it did at least seem to help keep some of the stabbing pain at bay.
Just when I was finally close to drifting off, an unmistakable sound rang through the air. A scream. A female scream. There was no doubt about it. I winced, grabbing my head, as I jumped off the couch and raced over to the main door. I turned the knob and banged against it when it wouldn’t open.
“Hello? What was that? Jordan, let me out! Please, somebody! Was that Lily?” I screamed and screamed, yelling as loud as I could to get somebody’s, anybody’s attention. I didn’t care who opened the door as long as someone let me know to whom that scream belonged.
The door slammed open, and the sudden force shoved me away. Stumbling back, I barely managed to catch myself on the wall before I fell flat on the carpeted floor. I released a breath, regaining my balance, as I looked up and froze. The sight of Jordan standing in the door, his face drained of blood, made my body go numb.
“What happened?” I asked. When he didn’t respond, I added, “Where’s Lily?”
His mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t get the words to form, so he held out his hands instead. My heart stopped, breath forming a lump in my throat. Blood covered his hands and arms. There were splatters that I hadn’t seen originally on his dark colored shirt.
“Jordan? Jordan, look at me,” I demanded, and he glanced up, eyes wide. Moving close, I put my hands on his shoulders and shook. “Tell me what happened. Who screamed?”
His bottom lip quivered as he shook his head, and I pushed him to the side so I could run up the stairs. The room looked like a war zone. Blood covered every surface, and bodies lay around every corner. What the hell happened here?
“Lily,” I gasped. Where was she?
I ran through every room, calling her name as I went. She didn’t respond and that could only mean one of two things. She couldn’t hear me calling to her, or she wasn’t able to respond.
“Lily!” I screamed as loud as I could, uncaring of who heard.
Groans drew my attention to the far side of the house. I followed them like an insane game of Marco Polo. They led me into a room I didn’t recognize, but from the wigs hanging on the wall, I assumed it was Jaelyn’s bedroom.
Another groan led me to the closet, and I opened the door to find Jaelyn hunkered inside, pressing a glittery scarf into a gaping wound in her chest. Blood ran out of her nose, and spilled from her mouth every time she coughed.
“Jaelyn, what happened?” I asked, kneeling next to her.
She gasped, and blood sprayed onto my shirt. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she stopped moving. My heart squeezed in my chest. I had to find Lily. No matter what, I would not let her have the same fate.
“Lily, answer me! Where are you?” I yelled.
“I’m so sorry, Calla.”
Turning, I saw Jordan standing in the door. He looked uninjured, suggesting his white complexion could be from shock. I didn’t think I’d ever feel relieved for my kidnapper, but him being unharmed meant that Lily could be as well.
“What happened?” I asked him. He shook his head, and I huffed in frustration before stomping over to him and slapping the stupor right off his face. “No, stop that. Tell me what happened! Where’s my sister?” Jordan stared at me in stunned silence for a moment, and when I raised my hand to slap him again, he put his arms out to protect his face. “Where’s Lily?” I asked again.
“I don’t know,” he said.
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
He frowned. “I mean I don’t know where she is,” he answered. “She left with my father.”
When Jordan looked away, unable to meet my gaze, I asked, “She left with him or he took her with him?”
“Does it matter?” he asked.
Clenching my hands into fists, I bit out through gritted teeth, “Of course it matters.”
He grimaced. “He took her.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know!” he yelled, throwing his hands up. “She went crazy, okay. Batshit! Ballistic! Whatever you want to call it. It was like some demon from hell took over her body and sent her on a rampage. One minute she stood there with this docile look on her face, and the next she… she…” He gestured to the closet and his sister that laid there.
My heart skipped a beat, pulse picking up speed. “You’re saying Lily did this?” I asked then shook my head. “No, that doesn’t make any sense. Why would she-”
A scream rent through the air, and I ran toward it without a second thought.
“Calla!”
The scream came again, and it wasn’t one of fear or terror, it was one of anger and rage. It was a sound I’d never heard before, and one I never wanted to hear again.
“Calla, wait!”
Racing out of the house and into the backyard, I followed the sound to a small shed on the back of the property.
“Calla! Calla!”
The pounding in my head suddenly intensified, and I stopped, doubling over. Clutching my head, I groaned as my body started shaking, and a loud piercing sound echoed in my ears.
“Calla! ….up.”
The world around me grew fuzzy, and I clenched my eyes shut against the sun too bright in my sensitive eyes.
“Calla, wake up!”
I gasped, eyes jerking open as Jordan’s voice next to me made my pounding headache worse. My head spun, and I had to keep myself steady, grounded to the couch, to stop myself from throwing up.
“Here,” Jordan said handing me a small trash can, and I proceeded to empty the contents of my stomach. “Are you alright?”
Wiping my mouth, I gasped as the sharp pain dulled for a moment then stabbed me in the eye again.
“Take this,” a female voice said, and a hand shoved in my face. I glanced up to see a woman I didn’t recognize holding two large white pills and a bottle of water.
I eyed her suspiciously, and Jordan said, “Don’t worry. This is my aunt. She’s a doctor. She’s not going to give you anything dangerous, I promise.”
It didn’t make me feel any better knowing this woman was related to this family in any way, but the unbearable pain in my head made me reach for the medicine anyway.
“Where’s Lily?” I asked.
Jordan hesitated, glancing at the woman, and I pushed up from the couch, stumbling as another wave of dizziness passed over me. The trash can magically appeared in front of me just in time.
“Where are you going?” Jordan asked.
“To find my sister,” I mumbled, once again wiping my mouth.
“I’m right here.”
I turned to see Lily standing at the main door, Jaelyn right behind her. She didn’t look any worse than when she left, and Jaelyn appeared alive and well.
“Are you okay?” I asked, unable to help myself.
Lily frowned but nodded. “Are you?” she asked. “You’re the one who looks like you’re going to be sick.”
I chuckled, gesturing to the bucket in my arms. “I already have.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Lily asked, and I nodded as I pressed the frozen bag of peas against my head.
While the pills that Jordan’s aunt gave me helped dull the stabbing behind my eyes, it didn’t completely go away, and the cold felt good.
“I’m fine, really,” I assured her when she gave me a narrowed look. “It’s just a headache. I’m sure it will go away soon.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Jaelyn said you were thrashing around, screaming, and calling out my name,” she explained.
I sighed. “It was just a bad dream, that’s all. It was probably just due to me not being able to go to the party with you. I was worried that something was going to happen to you, and it affected my sleep.”
She searched my face, trying to find some kind of answer there, and I waited, making sure to keep my expression neutral. I’d never been one of those people who remembered their dreams. Mine usually fled out of my mind as soon as I woke up. Sure, I might recall a few details or even the overall feeling of the dream, but never anything specific and definitely not the entire thing. But this nightmare, I remembered every single moment.
It didn’t feel like a dream at all, in fact, my heart still raced, the feeling of blood on my face and hands still fresh. The emotions I felt, the fear, the panic, the absolute shock of seeing… I remembered all of it, and it left a lasting impression on my mind that I wouldn’t soon forget.
“So,” I said, “how was the party?”
Lily smiled. “I know what you’re doing,” she said, and my eyes widened.
“What do you mean?” I asked innocently.
Rolling her eyes, she chuckled. “You’re trying to change the subject. You used to do it all the time when we were kids. Anytime mom asked if you did your homework or cleaned your room, you would put her attention on something else.”
I smiled as the memories of back then replaced the memories of blood and death. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, looking away.
She laughed and shoved my shoulder playfully. Seeing Lily act like her old self again gave me hope that we could go back to that place. I thought about broaching the subject of escape, but didn’t want her to freeze on me again. This was the first time I’d seen her show any expression other than fear or acceptance, and I didn’t want to do anything that might send her back into that place again.
ELEVEN
Jordan smiled from across the table as he slipped another bite of meat into his mouth. It was creepy the way he constantly had a smile on his face. When I asked why he felt the need to smile all the time, he just said something along the lines of how life was too short not to smile. If he wasn’t an insane psychopath, I might actually agree with him.
“How do you like it?” he asked.
“It’s good,” I said, nodding, and shoveled another forkful of vegetables into my mouth.
This was the fourth night in a row he’d come down to cook dinner. Lily ended up joining us for the third one last night, and it turned out even more awkward than it usually was, which was why she decided against joining us tonight.
“I’m glad you like it. I was worried since you don’t tend to eat spicy things, but I wasn’t sure if it was because you actually don’t like it or you just don’t gravitate towards it. I decided to take a chance anyway,” he said, sitting a little taller in his chair. He did that, I’d noticed, when he felt proud of something he did. It was also when I could say or ask anything without having to worry about the repercussions.
Swallowing the urge to empty my stomach contents all over his shiny shoes, I forced myself to move my chair closer until we were less than a foot apart and sat next to him. Glancing in my direction, his eyes widened as I placed a hand on his arm to get his attention.
He lowered his lashes, looking at me with desire, and I resisted the desire to snatch my hand back. This wasn’t the same guy I’d spent all day driving around looking for Jaelyn. That Jordan was calm and decisive; this man was withdrawn… shy even. I didn’t know what to do with that, but I was willing to play along if an opportunity presented itself.
“Yes,” he whispered, licking dry lips.
Smiling, I squeezed his arm. “You know, there’s something I’ve never done before.”
“What?” he asked, his full attention now on me.
“I’ve never been on a real date before,” I said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but never met the right person to do it with.”
Jordan swallowed, licking his lips once more. “Where would you want to go?”
I shrugged. “Isn’t that the man’s job? To make a plan and surprise the girl?”
“I’ll have to see what I can do,” he said then his eyes widened as a wide grin spread across his face. “Can you keep a secret?”
“Of course,” I replied.
He grinned. “Good. I’ll come get you first thing in the morning, but you can’t tell anyone, not even your sister. If you do, we could both get in trouble.”
“I won’t tell a soul. Promise,” I said, crossing my heart.
Nodding, he went back upstairs, and I was left waiting for what the morning would bring… and just a little bit of hope.
To my surprise, I managed to doze off at some point in the night as was made aware when footsteps clambered down the stairs, and the lock on the main door snicked, and I jerked awake. Sitting up on the couch, I waited for my eyes to adjust as the door slid open and sighed when Jordan walked through.
“Calla? What are you doing on the couch?” he asked.
I shrugged and whispered, “Couldn’t sleep.”
He nodded as if that made total sense, as if sleeping on the couch was something he did on a regular basis. If I told him it was because I refused to step foot in that room they called mine, what would he think? How would he feel if I just flat out refused him and his advances?
He flipped on the light as he urged me to get dressed and put my shoes on. Following his directions with question, he led me up through the main floor of the house and out the front door.
The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, to which I was grateful. It had been three days since I’d seen the light of day, and it was already too bright for my sensitive eyes. I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to Lily.
Jordan placed a finger over his mouth as we walked to his car, and I slid inside, buckling my seatbelt.
“Where are we going?” I asked when we pulled out of the driveway.
“I told you, it’s a surprise,” he answered with a grin.
We drove for about ten minutes through tr
affic and detours as the French Quarter had been blocked off for some kind of event. He parked about a block away, and I raised a brow. Walking towards the chaos, I kept my eyes and ears open for any opportunity to present itself.
New Orleans was large and overwhelming to someone who had never been there, and even I - who had - struggled to get my bearings on the busy street. It was difficult to distinguish between workers, natives, or tourists. It wouldn’t be easy to find someone who could help without raising a bunch of red flags.
Jordan led me through the crowd to a bench which sat in front of a bar, leaving me there to watch some of the performers while he went inside to get a table.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, and I clenched my fists in an effort to keep still. He would be expecting me to try and run, why else would he be so blatantly obvious about leaving me alone. It was a test, it had to be. When he returned, his pleased smile gave me all the answers I needed. “They’ve got one available. Let’s eat, I’m starving.”
A chill ran down my neck as he eyed me above the menu, and my hands tightened around my own as I tried not to fidget in my seat, focusing on the words. Loosening the bun on my head, I let my hair cascade over my shoulders. Jordan watched it settle before returning his attention to his food choice once more.
“What are you thinking about getting?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I’m not sure. What’s good here?”
He perused the menu for a moment before answering. “They have really good bacon and waffles, but if you prefer eggs, you should try their omelets,” he said, pointing them out for me on my menu.
Pretending to consider the two options, I fought the urge to grimace as my stomach recoiled at the thought. I needed to eat something though. It had been almost seventy-two hours since my last meal, and I grew weaker with every hour that passed.
“The waffles sound good,” I said with a smile.
He grinned. “Mmm. I think I’ll get them too. Do you want anything to drink? Milk? Orange juice?”
“Water is fine, thanks.”
Nodding, Jordan gave our order to the server, and I excused myself to use the restroom. It was a small, single toilet bathroom with a window too small for a normal person to fit through. Before returning to the table, I washed my face, readying myself for a day filled with more lies and deceit than I’d ever had to use.
You Could Have Saved Her Page 11