A Deadly Little Thing Called Love (Deadly Duet #1)
Prologue
SHE’S back.
Sometimes I hide under the covers so she can’t see me, but we’d played hide and seek all day. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but it’s the first game I’d been winning.
Wet, stringy hair falls over her face and droplets fall off her drenched clothes. Slow, unsturdy steps are dragging mud in, turning the cream carpet brown. Momma is going to be so mad at me.
I’m trying to not breathe so she doesn’t find me, but the coats are scratching my face.
Everyone is better than me at hide and seek.
I bet they wouldn’t have sweaty hands or twitchy shoulders.
I bet they’d be really still and she wouldn’t find them.
She’d leave and they could go to bed. She smells like the rotting banana I found in my school bag.
I wrinkle my nose and hide my face in one of the coats, but I must have made a noise because her wet head snaps in my direction.
I can’t see her eyes, but I have nightmares that they’re dark like sticky mud.
A stumble brings her closer to the closet.
I don’t move but I can hear her dripping on the carpet, footsteps swaying like she’s dancing by herself, entranced in a silent song.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The rambling starts and I cry. I’m not allowed to cry. They get annoyed when I cry.
A loud sob escapes her as she stumbles forward and opens the balcony window.
I’m also not allowed to open them. Momma is going to be so mad at me now.
Maybe she’s sad because it’s raining? Her slender form sways in front of my night light and shadows jitter on the walls, crawling like spiders.
She never stays this long and I wonder if it’s because she hasn’t found me yet.
If I come out, maybe she’ll stay this time.
No, she needs to leave because Momma is going to blame me for the carpet. I’m scared but I really want her to go now.
I crawl out of the closet even though my legs hurt. I fell asleep on my legs, but it hurts more when he punches them. He says I’m not very strong. I don’t feel strong but I push her with all my might.
Her rambling stops as she falls out of the window.