Page 110 of Coercion

When my eyes find Annabell lying lifeless, face down in a pool of blood, I can’t properly register it. I can’t believe it.

“What have you done?” I cry.

“What was necessary.” He snaps back.

I try to get free, I jerk in his arms and the cuts on my back seem to rip open with every move I make.

“Let me go, Jett. Please.” I beg.

“I’m taking you away,” He says, acting like he’s helping me. “I’m taking you somewhere you’ll be safe.”

I scream out, pummelling my fists into his chest as my back rips more.

When we step outside there are more bodies, all the guards are dead. He’s killed them all.

A man walks up to us, needle in hand and Jett nods quickly.

“No.” I scream.

“Get on with it.” Jett snaps and I shut my eyes as I feel the thing spike me, as I feel them drugging me so that I’ll be easier to steal.

I wake in a panic.

Everything comes flooding back as I look around the strange space I’m in. Someone rebandaged my wounds. Someone has wrapped my entire torso up and I realise with a sickening feeling that they stripped me while I was unconscious.

“Hey baby.”

My eyes snap to my right.

For a second my head won’t register that it’s her. That she’s there. Another ghost from my past has suddenly resurrected herself.

“Momma?” My voice cracks as I say the word I haven’t spoken in over five years.

She looks good. She looks really good. The rich patterned material of her dress makes her dark skin glow. Her hair is braided so intricately and she has huge diamond and gold dangly earrings that catch the light.

“It’s me, baby, it’s me.” My mother says, getting up from the seat she’s no doubt kept a vigil at, and she hugs me tight enough that my back protests.

“How, how is this possible?” I sob.

First Jett and now her? How is my family alive? How have they never even reached out or tried to help me until now?

“I ran baby, after Levi attacked us, I ran.” She states.

“You left me behind.” I say, before I can stop myself.

She nods, wiping a tear. “I had no choice. He took everything, he murdered your father.”

“Like I don’t know.” I snap. “I saw his body. I saw him, lying there, with half his face blown off.”

“I’m so sorry, baby.” She says, taking my hand, soothing me.

“You left me.” I say again.

“I couldn’t get you out.”

“Did you even try?” I ask.

She meets my gaze then drops it and that tells me all I need to know.