io farmland like a hea

clock ticked with a hollow, rhy

n complete darkness. She wore her o

t the cold, hard plastic of the cassette recorder. She h

to smoke a cigarette, Alissa had slipped into the hallway. She had dropped t

ated risk, but

her with the door. The floorboa

usted tracks groaned softly, but the

dropped to the ground. Her knees bent

the bitter smell of rott

walk like a frightened girl. She moved like a ghost, her footsteps l

, she reached the

e enough to hide a car, and its sprawling canopy completely

d focused on her breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth

-five, the silence of

otsteps crunched o

iced through the darkness, bouncin

es. He was wearing a nice flannel shirt, his hair combe

ff as he stepped into the c

dark. He saw Alissa sta

bobbed hard. He let out

tightly across her chest, her shoulders trembling. She loo

rd," Kristopher said, his voice dripping

d. The dead leaves cr

thumb found the red record button. S

ning was completely swallowed by the soun

mmered, injecting a pathetic, desperate crack int

from her. He looked down at her, his eyes s

ms in a gesture

y doesn't know how to take care of you. She's too selfish. Only I

She pressed her spine harder against

ping him talking. "What if Ainsley

ffed, a cruel,

her dresses," he sneered. "As long as you keep your mouth s

t. His face hardened wit

nds clamped down hard on Alissa's frail

eath, reeking of stale coffee and

d every single word. The thre

had sna

y stopped. The fake fear vanished from her e

shift. He puckered his lips,

was about to step