Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I really am going to be sick. Saliva pools in my mouth. I take a deep breath in through my nose and spit into the dust at my feet. Gotta hold it together. I can’t wig out now. Ted is counting on me.
It takes everything to leave the family and walk to the metal stairs.
I can only hope Ted called for help. I can’t get the family out, not with them rigged to explode. After Burgess and the warehouse, I know BK isn’t bluffing. He’ll blow us all sky-high. I’ve got one shot to do this right. If I can distract him long enough for help to arrive, the family might make it out of here alive.
I probably won’t walk out of here, but they will, and it’ll be enough.
It takes forever for me to climb the stairs. I do it slowly, hoping to give the cavalry more time to arrive. I don’t like relying on Ted, but I do have faith that Rex will do what it takes to find me.
I could’ve called Rex immediately, and he’d be at my back now. Scratch that; he wouldn’t have let me come at all, and Ted’s family would suffer the same fate that Burgess did.
No, I made the right choice. I had to come alone.
I pause on the landing at the second floor, shining the flashlight around the abandoned space. The light catches on a set of glittering eyes in the corner. Some sort of vermin has made its home here and disappears with a scuttling sound.
The walkie at my collarbone comes alive. “Keep climbing,” BK rasps, and my body physically recoils. I want to rip this thing off of me and never hear BK’s voice again. “All the way to the roof.”
I crane my head upwards. There are several more stories before I reach the top of the building. I’d rather stay down here with the rats.
“I’m waiting for you,” BK singsongs. “Come to me, my Swallow.”
Bile spurts into my mouth and galvanizes me into action. I press and hold down the largest button and snap out a “Fuck you” into the walkie-talkie. It’s not a good idea to antagonize the serial killer who holds more than my life in his hands, but seriously, fuck him. If I’m going out, I’m going on my terms. “You don’t get to call me that,” I tell him and use the surge of energy that anger gives me to power up another set of steps.
I pause on the next landing. BK holds the cards, but I have something he wants. “Let the family go.”
“They’re free to leave at any time.” He sniggers, knowing full well the family is unconscious and tied up. I grit my teeth so hard my jaw aches.
His laughing turns into a coughing fit, and the transmission cuts out. I wait, but he doesn’t say anything more, even though I’ve stalled on the steps.
“You’ve already won,” I tell him. “You have me. You don’t even want them, so why not let them go?”
No answer. I keep climbing, moving slowly but steadily. “I surrendered my cell phone, but you can call the police.”
He’s still silent, but I bet he’s listening. I pace around another corner, sending the flashlight’s searching light over every inch of the next flight of stairs before continuing my ascent.
“You have all the power. You can call for help. You’ll still have me.” I’ll gladly trade myself for the family. “And I’m who you really want, right?”
Still no answer, but there’s some movement down below. A shadow darting across the ground floor. Is it Ted, finding his courage to creep inside and free his family?
Or did Rex find me?
I wait, watching for more clues, but there’s no more movement. But it gives me hope that someone is down there, helping Ted’s family.
With that thought energizing me, I finish my climb. I can stall for time and keep BK distracted.
I press the PTT button and say, “Hello? Are you still there?”
“Keep climbing. All the way to the roof.”
Was that a flicker of light on the ground floor? It gives me the courage to try something,
“Not until you admit that I’m the one you want,” I test. “Not them. Me.” Maybe if I act possessive of him, it’ll surprise and excite him.
The silence stretches long enough that I worry I’ve put him off. Maybe he won’t like me jostling for control of the situation? I’m supposed to be the victim, after all.
But something tells me he wants a worthy adversary. Someone worth all the trouble he’s gone through to haunt me.
“All right,” he sounds pleased. “You’re the one I want.”
He’s in a good mood; I can use that to my advantage.
“I’m coming,” I tell him.
The stairwell ends at an open door. The night air is cool on my face as I step onto the gravel-covered roof.