Page 39 of The Ecstasy of Sin

Wren

Myheartispounding,my pulse a rabid animal fighting for survival, as hands wrap cruelly around my throat. A terrible, maniacal face appears in front of me—an unnaturally wide grin stretched across his inhuman face.

I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. I try to fight, but I’m paralyzed. I’m a prisoner in my own body, and there is nothing I can do to stop what is happening to me.

A single tear slips from the corner of my eye, and I feel it. I feel the warm, wet path as it trails across my temple and disappears into my hair line.

I awaken with a startled gasp, the sound of bombs detonating crashing through my skull. Exploding head syndrome, a doctor once told me, is most likely to occur when I awaken suddenly from the REM stage of sleep. The condition is frightening, but it’s harmless.

“Wren?”

A pair of worried brown eyes regard me from the side of my cot, and I recognize Clarissa instantly.

“I’m sorry,” I croak, fighting to steady my breathing, a hand over my heart.

My voice is rough after a night of sleep, the inflammation and bruising having worsened. I swallow, and it aches.

She lays a gentle hand on my arm, her calm presence grounding me. “Take a deep breath, darling. I think you were having a nightmare.”

I nod, my eyes squeezed shut as the ghost of the dream and the phantom sound of explosions fade away. My skin feels damp with sweat, and my entire body aches in more places than I can count.

“Jesus, Wren… your neck.”

The events of last night come rushing back in, and I lift a hand to my tender throat as I imagine what my sore neck must look like this morning. “Ah—yeah, I’m okay, though. I promise.”

Clarissa doesn’t look convinced, her worry growing with every second. “Can I call the police for you, or get you an appointment at Marshall Heights Clinic for a check up?”

I shake my head. I don’t want to be poked and prodded right now, and I really need to get back to job hunting. I’m out of money, and now I’ve lost every single one of my belongings.

My stomach drops, and I cradle my head in my hands.

I’ve lost everything. When I ran away from the church last night, I didn’t realize my attacker had successfully pulled my backpack off of me at some point. I’m sure it’s gone by now. There’s no point trying to find it.

My stack of résumés, my phone, my wallet with my ID, the clothes I bought from the thrift store for interviews—all of it is gone.

“Lorraine stopped me on her way out at shift change. Someone stopped by last night and dropped your backpack off with security.”

For a second, I wonder if I’m still dreaming—caught in the tail end of some hopeful delusion. But when I lift my head, Clarissa is already reaching down and grabbing my pack from beside her on the floor. She sets it on the bed beside me.

Around the room, the other women are either still asleep or quietly getting ready for the day. No one’s paying attention to me, despite the nightmare that loudly yanked me out of sleep just moments ago.

“Who brought it?” I ask, my voice hoarse and my eyes wide as I reach out and grab my pack. I bring it in, clutching it to my chest like it’s a buoy I’ve just found in the middle of a stormy ocean. Relief washes through me.

Clarissa shrugs. “He didn’t leave a name. Kevin just told Lorraine that a man dropped it off.”

It had to be Dominic. He was the only one still breathing when I ran.

“Thank you,” I murmur, shifting slightly so I can unzip the top. The weight of it feels heavier than I remember.

“You’re welcome, darling. Let me know if you need anything.”

I smile in response, and she turns and heads back to the front desk. As soon as her back is turned, I open my pack. My phone is sitting right on top of everything, the indicator light blinking. I grab it and turn it on, checking the newest message,expecting a response from one of the job applications I filled out recently.

Dominic’s name is at the top of my message list. I stare at it like it’s a three-headed monster, before the shock wears off enough for me to tap the screen and open the message.

DOMINIC

Did this find its way back to you?