I See You

Chapter Twenty-One

        A sudden pain in her side made Emma wince and claw her way back up from the darkness she'd been resting in. This time when she woke there was the feeling of not being alone in the darkness. She frowned and opened her eyes.

        This time there was a scratching rough bag over her head, tied tightly around her throat, making it hard to breath. She gasped and began to reach, remembering too late that her hands were still restrained behind her back. Emma also realized she wasn't on the floor anymore. She now sat in a metal chair, at least it felt like an old folding chair. They had several in the basement they'd used for block parties when she was younger. Emma tugged on her hands and felt the stabbing pain in her side again.

        She whimpered and wiggled away from the sharp sensation at her ribs.

        "Always the little cry baby bitch," the voice snarked. "Pathetic."

        Emma's heart slowed even as her head shook from side to side. Not that voice! Not this again! "No," she whispered.

        The bag was jerked upwards roughly, the rope scratching against her neck and face. It did hurt but not nearly as bad as the look of glee on Carol's triumphant face. "Hey there! Did ya miss me?"

        "What—" Emma didn't get a chance to finish her thought as Carol's hand snapped out, slapping her hard across her face, sending her head whipping to the side. The dizziness filled her head and made her feel even sicker. Her eyes refused to focus due to the spinning room.

        "I will ask all the questions! I can't believe you don't remember how this works," she spat, leaning down making Emma aware of the very long, very wicked looking blade in her hand. "I ask the questions and you answer them. Every time you don't give me an answer I like," Carol slowly ran the tip of the blade down Emma's cheek, the slight scrape of the razor sharp edge made

        Emma's skin crawl. "Well, I intend to cut you more until the answer changes."

        Emma pulled her head back, shifting slightly away and gasped at the sharp stinging pain in her side. Fear filled her as she slowly lowered her head. She swallowed down the whimper of unease at sight that met her eyes. Two bright crimson spots covered her left side. Well at least that explained the sharp pain that had awoken her to this nightmare situation. She needed to stall. Cody would find her, she knew it. She just needed to buy him time.

        "Why are you doing this?"

        "I have my reasons," she shrugged nonchalantly. "Just be grateful because you'll finally serve a purpose."

        "What purpose is that?" Emma asked and was rewarded with her mother's hand lashing out and striking her across the face with her fist. Emma's head hung as she whimpered through the throbbing agony in her eye and cheek.

        Carol rolled her eyes skyward. "Oh dear God, here we go! The whining was always the worst part of dealing with you." Her mother waved the knife toward her. "Lemme explain something okay? You have been a thorn in my side since I found out I was pregnant with you. Why am I doing this? You really wanna know?"

        Emma trembled and nodded slowly, fighting to ignore the pain in her face. "Yes, I think I have the right to know."

        "Well I thought I deserved to be happy and not tied down to a needy little bitch. Guess we both lost out there huh?"

        "I didn't ask to be born Carol. That's not my fault."

        "Not your fault?" Carol growled insanely. "Everything was your fault! I lost everything because of you. My future. My family. I'm finally getting a little payback for everything you've taken from me, it works out." Once again she leaned close with a crazed look on her face. "I kill you, I get the money that should've been mine anyway. And everyone is happy. Especially me because I will never get caught."