by C T Rhames
I scrambled to my feet as Steve lunged at me again. This time, the knife sliced through my right arm, but I didn’t stumble. I shoved him as hard as I could and I ran. Out the front door and into the early morning mist.
My bare feet slapped on the pavement and the pain was shooting through me from my back and arm. All I could see were the faces of my family as they died. I stared into Brett’s dark eyes as I ran down the street, gasping for air.
It wasn’t until I was pounding on Lily’s door that I realized I’d managed to make it to her house. I blinked and pressed the doorbell.
“What the . . .” Lily’s father pulled the door open and stared at me. “What . . .who are you?”
“They’re all dead. All dead,” I choked out. Then I collapsed on the front porch, vaguely aware that Mrs. Jones had come to see what the fuss was about.
“She’s covered in blood, call 911.”
“Maddy? Oh my god, Maddy!” Lily was there, but her parents pulled her back, away from the bad influence.
“I can’t be here, he’ll know to look here,” I gasped out, suddenly aware that I’d put my best friend and her family in danger by coming here.
Staggering to my feet, I stumbled down the steps. Even though the sun was starting to burn off the mist, I felt cold, so cold. Even my bones were frozen.
“Maddy, wait! You can’t go like this!” Lily shouted from behind me, but I ignored her. There had to be somewhere I could go and hide from him where he wouldn’t find me.
I reached one of the parks where I’d taken the kids and climbed up into the plastic tunnel where I’d chased Brett so many times. I curled up there, closing my eyes and then opening them again and retching as the images flooded my mind again.
They were all dead. And it was my fault. I should have stopped him. I shouldn’t have put the knife out. I should have . . .
Chapter Three
“Madelyne? Madelyne Jackson?” a man’s voice came through the playground and I pulled myself tighter into a ball. He wouldn’t find me in here. No one would expect a teenager to hide in a little kids’ tunnel.
A hand landed on the edge of the tunnel and I shivered. Then a face appeared. He was in his late forties, with graying hair and a badge. A cop. The cops had found me.
“Madelyne, are you Madelyne?” He asked, reaching out a hand. “I’m Sergeant Hopkins. I’m here to help you, okay?”
“You can’t help. They’re already dead.”
“I know, but you’re not. Can you come out please?”
“No.” I closed my eyes, willing him away. The pain was taking over now that I’d stopped running. It hurt so badly, but it still didn’t match the pain that ripped through my chest every time I thought of my baby brother and sister.
“We’re going to need some help over here,” the sergeant called out.
“Madelyne? I’m a Brian, a paramedic. This is my partner, Annie. We’re going to get you out of there, okay? Get you looked at?”
I was so numb that I didn’t move as the paramedics crawled into the tunnel after me and gently moved me out. I could see over Annie’s shoulder that the tunnel was smeared with blood and I felt bad for a moment. Little kids didn’t deserve to see all that.
“Madelyne, can you tell me where you’re injured?” Brian asked.
My hands went to my heart. It was broken. Broken beyond repair.
“She’s in shock,” someone said. They loaded me onto a gurney and slid me into the back of the ambulance. Brett would have loved this.
I started to cry then, small hiccups at first, then full blown sobs. My family was dead and the monster who killed them was looking for me.
It turned out that both my injuries were non-life-threatening, according to the doctors at the hospital. They scolded me for running away from potential help and told me that my exertion had caused extreme blood loss.
Now I lay in a hospital bed, bandaged up, with a bag of fluid dripping into my arm and the images of my family being murdered flashed across my eyelids every time I closed them.
“Madelyne Jackson?” A young man stepped into the room in a suit and tie. He looked awfully formal to be in a place like this.
“Yeah?” I croaked.
“I’m Taylor Anderson, Special Agent.”
“Okay.”
He crossed the room and perched on the end of the bed. “I’m here to discuss you going into Witness Protection.”
“What? Why?” I tried to get my mind around that. “Isn’t that for . . .like, people in the Mafia?”
“Well, it’s for anyone who might be in danger before or after testifying against someone.”
“Did you find him?” I had to know. There had been cops sitting outside my hospital room for the past two days, so I didn’t think it was likely.
“Not yet. But your statement will put him away when we do.”
“You think he’s going to finish the job?” I looked down at my hands. There was still dried blood under my fingernails. I didn’t even know how it had gotten there.
“That’s a very blunt way to put it, but yes. However, I’m here to offer you protection.”
I just looked at him dully. “I don’t have anything left here. What does it really matter?”
“It matters for you, Madelyne.” He pulled out a sheaf of papers from a suitcase. “I’d like you to look these over and let me know your decision by tomorrow night. They intend to release you the day after tomorrow and I think we can both agree that it will put you in a lot of danger.”
“Where would I go?”
“That is classified. In fact, just about everything is. However, if you’re willing to testify against your stepfather and enter protective custody, we will keep you safe by placing you in a secure area where he will not find you.”
“Are you going to change my face?” I asked, thinking of a movie I’d seen once.
Special Agent Anderson smiled tightly. “No, we don’t actually do that. You’ll be given a new name and history and possibly a new haircut. That’s basically the extent of it. We don’t expect a lot of people to be looking for you, but your stepfather has some rather worrisome friends.”
“Great.” I stared at the papers, the words swirling in front of my eyes. “If I say yes?”
“Then we leave immediately for the safe house.”
I thought about Brett and Sara. They wouldn’t want me dead just because I’d failed them. And if I stayed alive, I could get justice for them.
Looking the agent in the eye, I nodded. “I’ll do it.”
“You have until tomorrow to think it over,” he pointed out.
“I don’t care. I’m in.”
“Very well. I’ll notify the staff that you’ll be leaving and someone will be up in a minute with clothing for you.” He left the room and I sat up in the bed. I still felt weak and cold, but I forced myself to get up and go to the bathroom.
In the tiny bathroom, I splashed water on my face, used the plastic hospital comb to scrape the tangles out of my hair and brushed my teeth. I looked at the haunted face in the mirror. The same dark eyes as Brett’s and Mom’s stared back at me, sunken, with dark shadows under them. My skin was pale and my lips cracked.
“I’m going to keep going for you guys,” I whispered at my reflection.
There was a knock at the door and a female officer handed me a paper bag when I opened it. “These might not fit exactly, but we’ll get you something better later on.”
I nodded, shut the door and changed, taking a moment to pull out my IV. It hurt a little, but not nearly as much as my entire right side.
They’d brought me a black t-shirt that hung past my hips and dark sweatpants that were several sizes too big. I had to haul on the drawstring and tie it to keep them from sliding over my hips.
When I was dressed, I came out of the bathroom and slid my feet into the sandals the officer handed me. I probably looked like a homeless person, but I was more than ready to get out of the drab hospital.
“We’re t
aking you to a safe house tonight and tomorrow night. Then you’ll be flown to your new location.” She explained.
I nodded and followed her past my guard and into the elevator, where Special Agent Anderson waited. He gave me a grim once over and then pressed the button for the basement.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Like my entire family was slaughtered in front of me and the monster that did it is still hunting me,” I responded flatly.
He nodded, like he’d expected that answer. We spent the rest of the ride down in silence. The agents led me to a plain blue car in the parking garage and we drove away from the hospital.
A few minutes later, we were leaving my hometown, the scene of so much horror, behind. I hoped I’d never see it again.
The safe house was a pretty plain cabin that was a good three hours drive from my house. It was late when we finally got there and I was tired and sore. Maybe leaving the hospital hadn’t been the best idea.
“Sorry, this place hasn’t been used recently,” Agent Anderson said, turning on a fan. The cabin smelled musty and old. There was dust everywhere, but I was too tired to care.
“I’ll run out and get some food,” Officer Angel said, heading right back out the door.
Food sounded good. My stomach rumbled at the thought of it and I sank down on a kitchen chair. My back was throbbing and my arm burning.
“Need some of those pain pills?” Anderson took off his jacket and draped it over a chair.
“Yeah. I think so.”
Since I was a minor, the hospital hadn’t let me take my own pills and had handed them over to the special agent. He tipped two into my palm and got up to get me a glass of water that tasted mildly chlorinated. I threw back the pills and chugged the water, realizing I was really thirsty.
“Take it easy, you’ll drown,” Anderson grinned.
“Now can you tell me where you’re taking me?” I asked, setting the glass on the table.
He studied me for a moment, then said, “Alaska.”
“Seriously? Ice and snow and polar bears?” My heart sank. “That doesn’t really sound like a great place to hide out.”
“Oh, it’s perfect. No one will think to look for you that far away and it’s easy to hide you. There’s an academy there that you are being enrolled in as we speak. Very old, very prestigious.”
“An academy?” That sounded terribly formal. “I won’t fit in there. I’m from a white trash family, you know.”
“You’ll get the hang of it.” He smiled. “You’ll get a portfolio to study tomorrow, but for now you should know that your new name is Lyric Masterson.”
“That doesn’t even sound real.”
“It actually is. Was. The child with that name died, but you’ll be taking her place in the world.”
The realization that I was taking a dead person’s name made me shiver. “What kind of portfolio do I get?”
“With all your new background information. You’ll have all new IDs, Social Security, etc. It’s very important that you memorize your history. You cannot slip up and reveal the truth if you want to stay safe.”
“Got it.” I yawned and contemplated skipping dinner . . . but my belly protested.
Officer Angel came back before I had to choose brain over belly and handed us each a paper sack from some fast food chain. I pulled out my fries and ate them so fast that Anderson pushed his across the table to me. I didn’t hesitate, but ate them all, too, before digging into the double cheeseburger Agent Angel had selected for me. After two days of hospital food, this was like heaven.
At that thought, the cheeseburger suddenly turned to cardboard in my mouth and I nearly choked. Here I was, enjoying a burger and my baby brother and sister were dead and gone. They’d never enjoy a burger again.
I forced myself to swallow the mouthful I had and put down the last piece of burger. Fighting back tears, I sucked down the soft drink and excused myself from the table.
In the bathroom, I splashed water on my face and willed myself not to cry. It was enough that these people knew what my background was. I didn’t need to cry, too.
“You’re going to get through this,” I told my reflection sternly. “One day at a time.”
Chapter Four
It took three days to get everything set up for my new identity. I spent the days going over my portfolio and answering questions that the agents asked until I could automatically spout off where I was from and who my family was.
“I think you’re about ready,” Anderson said. “And that’s good, because we have tickets to fly you out in about four hours.”
I frowned at him. “I don’t like last minute surprises.”
“I know, but in this case, we literally just got them.” He shrugged. “I’m sorry, but there wasn’t much I could do.”
“You’re forgiven, I suppose.” I sipped my coffee and looked at the agent. “Do I need to pack?”
“Officer Angel has already taken care of that.”
Officer Angel had been in charge of buying me clothes. Since I’d run out of the house in my pajamas, there had been nothing for me to wear at the cabin except the borrowed clothing that was far too large for my slight frame. She’d purchased several outfits for me to wear, plus shoes.
“I have a question,” I ventured.
Anderson nodded, waiting.
“Do I get to have anything from my house? I had a photograph of my mom and Sara and Brett . . .” I took a deep breath, fighting the tears back.
Anderson answered before I spoke again. “I’m sorry, but you can’t have anything from your old life. It could trigger questions and set off all sorts of issues.”
I knew he was right, but the thought of never seeing my brother and sister’s sweet faces again, even in photos, made me feel sick. They’d already been ripped from me in life and now they were going to be gone forever, fading into the past like mist.
We went over the information in the portfolio yet again before heading to the airport. Anderson was going to accompany me to the academy, posing as my father. He’d dressed the part, in a high priced suit and polished shoes, his hair slicked to make it look less military.
I’d had some changes made, too. My long hair was cut shorter, to my shoulders and Angel had taught me how to put on some basic makeup. I’d never worn it before, but I had to admit, with the bags under my eyes and pale complexion, a little help wouldn’t go amiss. Especially if I had to pass for a normal human being.
The flight was shorter than I’d expected and it felt like no time at all had passed before I found myself climbing into a rental car, with Anderson driving. We left the airport and drove out into the country. There was already snow on the ground and I shivered, grateful for the heavy wool coat that Agent Angel had purchased for me.
Despite feeling tense and sad, I found myself admiring the scenery. It was beautiful, I had to give it that. There were mountains and forests and open plains, wiped clean with the white snow. I even saw a herd of deer bound away from the highway as we passed. As a city girl, that sight surprised me the most.
“Here we are.” Anderson turned down a long lane that wound through pine trees. “It’s a bit remote, but I think that’s for the best.”
“A bit, huh?” I stared at the road ahead of us as we continued to drive for another five minutes before the lane opened up into a parking lot in front of a castle.
A real, live castle. It surprised me to see the stone walls, with ivy and moss growing up them as if they’d been there forever. There were no windows on the outside of the castle that I could see, but it was sprawling and obviously had plenty of room inside.
Anderson parked the car and looked over at me. “You good with this?”
“I’m terrified, but let’s do it.”
The next hour passed in a whirlwind of forms being signed, meeting the headmaster of the school and then being shown to my room by the secretary, since all the students were currently in class.
Then Anderson c
ame to drop off my suitcase and say goodbye. I felt like he was abandoning me, leaving me in this bizarre castle academy.
“Will you be visiting?” I asked, as he shook my hand.
“At certain points, yes. However, if you ever need to contact me, you can call this number.” He pressed a card into my hand. “Remember, you cannot have any links to your previous life, so don’t think about calling your friends or any family members.”
“I won’t.”
“I’ll see you then.” And he was gone, leaving me in the echoing hallway by myself. I shivered and turned to go back into my room. According to the secretary, I wouldn’t start classes until the following day. The academy had an unusual schedule, with classes starting after lunch and continuing late into the evening. It seemed a little odd, but there were studies showing that teens learn best when they can sleep in.
My room was large compared to the room I’d shared with Sara, but I didn’t have a roommate. Anderson had paid extra money to get me a private room, he’d said.
The room was simply furnished, with a bed, desk and a reading chair, as well as a wardrobe. The stone flag floor was mostly covered in cream and navy rugs and the walls were hung with tapestries. I wondered if it would help with the drafts I could already feel whispering across my skin.
Fortunately, there was a modern electric system and a heater by the door. I immediately cranked it up to warm the room up and then crossed to the bed. It was a four poster bed with heavy drapes that could be pulled shut around it. I figured that would be useful for the cold.
Anderson had left my suitcase on the bed and I opened it, determined to get everything put away before I had to make it to dinner.
There were several new outfits in the suitcase and I realized Agent Angel must have gone out and bought me more things before she saw me off at the airport. She’d even included a knit hat and scarf, along with matching mittens. As if I’d dare venture outdoors in the cold.
Even with the new clothing, it took me only a few mintues to put everything away. Pulling out my map, I sat down on the bed and studied it. The dining room looked like it was just a short trip from my room, which was a relief. Leaving the safety of my new space was enough to nearly spark a panic attack, but I took a deep breath and started walking.
