Page 3 of Little Liar

Love, Daddy.

I frown and look up, seeing Mommy is already asleep on the sofa. What does Daddy mean? Why can’t he choose me? Where is he going?

My gaze turns to the box, and I drop the card on the table and inch closer. My long, dirty nails peel away the tape from the top, and I gasp when I open it to see a huge fluffy spider crawling around the box.

My eyes widen. “Um, Mommy?”

She’s still snoring, and when I shake her, she knocks me away so I fall on my butt. “Go away.”

I get to my feet and look at the box again, hesitating and a little scared before I go back to it, looking down to see the pet my daddy left me. Then I reach in and hold my hand at the bottom to see if it will come to me, shaking a little when it scurries right into my palm. It tickles, but my heart is going too fast to care.

Will it bite me?

I lift the hand with the spider until it’s at eye level. “Hi,” I say in my squeaky voice. “You’re my new best friend.”

For the next few weeks, life is a little fun again. Mommy told me my new pet was called a tarantula and I needed to keep it in my room. His name is Rex.

He sleeps in his tank while I lie in bed. I sing to him sometimes. He even watches me while I read him a book, so my mommy doesn’t have to.

I don’t see Mommy that much now—she’s always busy with her friends. I miss my daddy, but he said he’ll see me again, so I’ll wait for him to come home.

Big bad men are always in the house. One of them came into my room once and tried to take Rex, but my mommy started locking my door again, this time with two keys.

There are loads of people in the house right now, but I need to sleep. I want to go outside. I’m not allowed to go to school because I’m sick. But I feel fine. Why won’t my mommy let me go outside and play?

Daddy used to always play a game with me. I would hide, and he’d try to find me. He’d chase me until I laughed, screaming loud enough to hurt my throat, and tears would slide down my cheeks while I smiled up at my hero.

Rex is my only friend now. He’s silent. So am I. Mommy hates that I don’t talk to her anymore, but I like keeping things to myself. Everything I say always results in a slap across my face or her yelling at me.

He’s the only one who talks to me now without using words. My best friend. My protector. My hero until Daddy comes home.

My eyes ping open when I hear a door slam downstairs. Am I supposed to be asleep? I don’t know if the stars are out anymore—Mommy painted my window black, and I’m not allowed to leave my room. Not that I want to. The house is very messy, and the dogs poop everywhere, and there’s never any food.

I think Rex might be hungry too.

The last time I spoke, I told Mommy I didn’t want to wear diapers anymore. I know how to use the bathroom, but I’m not allowed to.

It itches. It hurts when I sit down. She told me to shut up, and I cried to Rex until we agreed not to let anyone hear our voices anymore. He could do it, and since it’s been weeks of silence, so can I.

I stand on shaky legs and open Rex’s tank, finding my friend burrowed in his little den. I place my palm down, and it takes him a few minutes before he catches my scent and crawls onto my hand.

The yelling is getting louder, and my breathing turns shaky.

Don’t worry,I say in my head.I’ll protect you.

I jump as a loud, bellowing laugh travels through the door.

It’s my final warning to quickly hide under my bed. I crawl under and place Rex on the floor in front of my face, then lean my chin in my palms and wait for the voices to vanish.

Then I pause and freeze all over, because someone unlocks and opens my bedroom door. Two someones. I can see their dirty socks exploring my room, then a pair of boots appears in front of my face.

“Fuck. It smells like shit in here. Where is he?”

“Elise did say he was in here. How much did you pay her?”

“Fifty,” he replies. “Is the bitch still breathing?”

“Barely. I made sure she took more than enough to kill her though.”