Chapter 29 – Rebel
Rebel stood knee-deep in water, the sky above her dark and inky. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds with nary a star present. The wind howled, an eerie sound that reverberated through her. But it wasn’t important. None of it was.
Nothing was except the water, stretching around her endlessly and chilling Rebel to her bones. Water was all she saw.
Panic filled her, worsening by rippling water, followed by a male chuckle.
“Hello?” she called.
No response.
Swallowing, she slogged around, the water sloshing around her bare legs, her heart pounding at the wet wasteland.
A faceless entity greeted her. The figure was distinctly male, but it had no discernible features, just a living shadow, with malicious intent radiating from it.
She stumbled back, screamed. It followed. Hands seized her, proving her intuition right. It wanted to hurt her.
“Let me go!” she yelled, struggling to free herself, creating small waves in the ocean around her.
She kicked, her foot breaking the water, aiming for the thing’s thigh—meeting air. She punched its face, but her fist went right through. She couldn’t fight her way out of this. Tears pricked her eyes as the hands began to drag her down, towards the murky water.
“No!” she cried, a sob bubbling up.
“Yes!”
It shoved beneath the surface, revealing a depthless abyss that would suck her away if she didn’t break free.
She fought for her freedom, but it did no good. A scream of frustration bubbled up and she inhaled mouthfuls of water. It shoved her up, allowing her a gasp of breath. A cough.
“Please!”
It laughed, a mocking, cruel sound and she knew then.
She knew she was doomed. She’d never see her family again.
Never decide if she could forgive Kaia or Jana.
Never know if she’d ever truly stop loving Diesel.
The being held her down as her limbs flailed.
Though she couldn’t touch it, it had no problem restraining Rebel, spelling disaster for her.
Black spots entered her vision, the salty tears leaking from her eyes mixing with the disgusting water around her. Her blonde hair haloed her head. From above, it looked like golden streamers in a dark pit. Water soaked her nightgown, the damp fabric weighing her down further.
She stilled, too weakened to continue fighting. She’d meet death before she turned sixteen, just like she’d known.
Another sob escaped her and she dug her fingers into the wispy face, made of smoke, whirling up from the embers of her life.
Out of options, she closed her eyes, waiting for death’s sweet embrace to save her from this hellish predicament. If she was destined to die by water, why fight it?
Gasping, Rebel bolted up. At the darkness greeting her, she cried out. At first, she didn’t know where she was. She thought she’d died alone and in that cold water.
But…but…she drew in a deep breath. Smelled bergamot, lemon, and lavender.
She curled her fingers around her comforter.
She was still in the last she remembered before her eyes drooped closed—her bedroom, where she’d been struggling to sleep.
After Rule tried to kill her, sleep was scarce.
And after the incident at the mall, a good night’s sleep was again a struggle to achieve.
Which fucking sucked, as she quite enjoyed getting hours of beauty sleep.
Alas, fate had other plans for her. She probably wouldn’t get back to sleep tonight. The pain pill had worn off and she didn’t have Momma and Jo there to keep her company.
Rebel considered calling her mother. She’d come, but she was with Daddy and he needed her more than Rebel.
Swallowing, Rebel leaned over and turned on her bedside lamp. The light helped. Instead of disturbing anyone, she turned on every lamp in her room, then slid back into bed. If sleep came again, hopefully the lights warded off another nightmare.