“That’s not true,” I say. “I know?—”
I stop, not wanting to give too much away. Finding out that I’m Doctor Acacia’s daughter won’t do me any favors.
“She seems to know a lot about the asylum for someone who isn’t crazy,” Two says.
“I watch a lot of movies,” I reply.
“Tell me,” One advances. “Who are you?”
His scent surrounds me, a hint of smoke, mixed with dirt, and an almost antiseptic clinical undertone.
“I’m no one,” I say.
“Lies!” Three choruses from the vent, slamming his fists or feet on the iron like a drum. “Lies! Lies! Lies!”
One closes in. I shield my face with my hands. Although I can’t see anything, I’m aware of his gigantic, looming presence. He rests his arms above my head, boxing me in with no escape. He’s much taller than me, a foot at least, which makes him six-three, at least.
“Put your hands down,” he commands.
I want to defy him, but I don’t. Shaking, I do as he asks and drop my arms to my sides.
I once took self-defense classes in school, but my mind draws a blank on any moves that could save me now. All I remember is being told to gather as much information about your attacker as possible, on the off chance you get away. What good is that advice when you’re locked in the darkness with only voices and smells to go on?
One leans closer. The tip of his nose nudges my cheek, and I turn my head, wincing at his touch. He inhales, breathing down the side of my face. My toes curl as he buries his face in the crevice where my neck meets my shoulder. He inhales deeply and groans with satisfaction. His moan vibrates through my core, and I whimper.
“What’s she like?” Three asks. “Is she as sweet as she sounds?”
One’s tongue shoots out of his mouth. I cringe but stay in position, with my left cheek pressed against the door, as he licks along my jaw like an animal.
“She tastes like cheap beer and virgin tears,” he purrs. “What bad things did you do tonight,Little Ghost?”
“Nothing,” I squeak. “I did nothing.”
“More lies,” he says. He grabs my chin to force me to look up, yet all I see is blackness. “Do you know what they do to patients when they lie?” His breath tickles my cheeks. “They do unspeakable acts. Acts that your innocent mind can’t comprehend. Acts that are so depraved they’d make youquestion who you are. Acts that your fragile little body can’t handle.”
My thighs clench. The combination of his heady smell and sultry voice affects me in a way I don’t quite understand.
“Do you want me to show you what we do to liars?” he asks. “You came into our home, so every inch of you belongs to us now. Every sweet nook of your tight body is ours.”
“Our new toy to play with,” Two echoes.
Another body drops from the vent. His landing is lighter, showing he’s nimble on his feet. Although I can’t see him, the vision of a black panther springs to mind. A deadly predator who moves with laser precision.
“Please,” I beg. “Don’t hurt me.”
Two laughs. His footsteps are gentle.
One moves aside, but I sense him standing close while Two approaches.
Two doesn’t touch me right away. In fact, if not for the barely audible sound of his breathing, I wouldn’t know he was here at all.
“We play rough,” Two says. “Sometimes our toys break. Sometimes we like to make them snap.”
I yelp as a piece of metal slides along my throat. It’s not sharp enough to be a knife, but its coldness is like being swiped by an icicle. He paints me with the object, moving it back and forth across my throat like he’s pretending to saw my neck clean off. A tear slips down my cheek, not that he can see it. This might be the end. The curved metal dances across my collarbone until it meets the dip in the middle and glides lower.
“Another one for my collection,” Two says.
I squeeze my eyes shut as he withdraws momentarily, fully prepared for my throat to be slashed, when there’s a snipping noise instead.Scissors. I don’t feel anything being cut, though.
