Chapter 38 Hana
HANA
I dropped to my knees, my phone clattering to the tiled floor as I leaned over the toilet, vomiting violently into the bowl.
The text message I’d just been sent showed an image of my brother that was now burnt into my retinas—I wasn’t sure I’d ever unsee it.
It wasn’t just the memory of a face I’d not seen in so long that I’d almost forgotten him; it was also that the photo was a picture of him dead.
Lying in a pool of blood in a prison I’d never visited.
My vision blurred as pain ripped through my heart, seeing Tony in that state.
I collapsed back against the wall, letting my tears out, hating that, despite everything I’d done in my life, saving Tony wasn’t possible.
I’d done so much I was ashamed of, but losing him was the worst. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered to the heavens before reaching for my phone, needing to delete the photo before I completely lost it, but as I did, it beeped with another message.
Unknown: Tick Tock. I’m coming. Ready or not.
Glass shattered, and I cried out, crawling out of the bathroom to find what looked like a bullet-shaped hole in my bedroom window.
I slammed my hand over my mouth, struggling to hold in the scream swelling in my throat like it wanted to strangle me.
My tears flowed freely, dripping off my chin and onto my top as I planned my next move.
Because one thing was clear, I needed to get out of here.
I wasn’t safe, and I should run while I had the chance.