Page 38 of Deliverance

"Oh yeah?" I smiled.

She showed me the figurine of a bird. Did all cereals give figurines as toys? "I'm going to collect them."

"That's cool." I poured a cup of coffee and then sat at the table. "I got you something," I said to Erin.

"Oh?"

I pulled the paperback from where it was tucked in the back of my jeans. "I'm not sure if you'll like it, but the woman at the bookstore told me it's popular."

Erin took the book. "What's it about?"

I shrugged. "From what I read on the back, some girl falls for a rich dude."

She snorted. "So, it's fiction."

"Yeah, is that what you read?"

"Yes. Thank you." She smiled.

"If you like it, I'll get you the sequel when it comes out next month."

"Oh, it's a series?"

"I think so." I took a sip of the black coffee.

"I hope it's good then."

A buzzer went off. Madam was ready for her breakfast, and that meant my day was officially starting.

Chapter Fourteen

Erin

One Year Later…

I woke, jolting upright as screams pierced my ears.

"No! Please!" It sounded like Emily.

"Your time is up." I couldn't make out the male voice, and I wasn't going to peek in the hall to find out who it was.

"Please!" she continued to beg.

"You knew this time was coming," Madam stated.

"Why?" Emily cried.

"Everyone has an expiration date. Today is yours," Madam answered.

"We can either do this the easy way or the hard way." I sucked in a breath. I would know his voice anywhere, but I had never known Ric to threaten or harm any of us.

I didn't hear anything else for a long time, and I was too scared to see if they were still in the hallway. I fell back asleep, and when I woke, I went down to the gym where I knew Ric was. He had worked out every morning for the past year, and usually, I would take that time to shower to make sure I smelled nice for our breakfast together before I started Zell's schooling for the day.

He was running on the treadmill. When he saw me, he furrowed his brow. I'd never interrupted his workout before.

"What happened to Emily?" I asked.

He slowed the treadmill down until he was walking. Between pants, he said, "She left."