‘Wait.’ Her voice was breathless. ‘Wait, wait…’
But what could she say? What could she do? He had her right where he wanted her. It was over.
Tears stung her eyes, turning the moon into a hazy, thousand-pointed star.
I’m going to die.
Everything that had been so important to her five minutes before suddenly seemed utterly meaningless.
So what if Rachel hadn’t told her she liked girls?
Everyone had secrets.
So what if Sylvain was upset right now?
He’d get over it.
It all seemed so clear.
She could live without Sylvain in her life. Live without Cimmeria.
If only she could live at all.
She became acutely conscious of everything around her.
The way the wind had quieted. The way the hairs on her arms stood on end. The rise and fall of Gabe’s chest against her back. The sinews of the muscles in his arm. The point of the knife, cold and deadly against her skin.
She could hear every beat of her heart as loudly as if it played from speakers. Each beat was a hammer strike against her ribs.
Her senses had never been so sharp.
This is how it ends.
There was something she’d read somewhere. Everyone dies suddenly. It was in English class, when they were working on a paper. Her teacher had encircled her description of Juliet’s death, ‘Her death was not sudden.’
In the margins the teacher had written: ‘Everyone dies suddenly.’
Now she knew she was right. A flick of Gabe’s wrist. And she would die.
Suddenly.
‘I kind of hate to do this.’ Gabe pulled her closer, pressing his body closer against hers. ‘You look so good. What is it about you Cimmeria girls? That uniform… It does something to me.’
He ran his free hand down her shoulder to her breasts.
Allie couldn’t breathe. His touch made her feel ill. She struggled feebly in his grip, but he pressed the knife tighter against her neck, reminding her of the control he had over her. She froze.
‘That’s better,’ he said. And she wanted to kill him.
‘Stop it,’ she said without hope.
But his hand kept moving. He was enjoying humiliating her. Enjoying the horror she felt.
‘Killing you seems like such a waste. Maybe we could have a little fun together first…’ When his hand reached her thighs and began to find its way under her skirt she made up her mind.
Even if he killed her in the end, she had to fight him.
I’m alive right now.
Turning her head as far to the right as she could, she lowered her mouth to his shoulder as if to kiss him. Then she sank her teeth into him.
He recoiled but she held on. He tried to yank free, but she dug her teeth in further, her jaws ached but she wouldn’t let go.
Swearing loudly, he punched her in the head with his free arm. Her left ear rang and her jaw hurt so much she thought she’d dislocated it.
Only then did she let go. At the same time, though, she dropped her weight, forcing him to grapple for her with both hands.
In the struggle he lost control of the knife. As the blade slipped, it sliced into her neck with a burning pain she felt through the entire right side of her body.
She screamed. A hot flow of blood ran down her neck soaking the collar of her shirt.
‘Shut up.’ He tried to cover her mouth but she was fighting like a wildcat now. Using her elbows. Her hands. Her feet. She stomped hard on his instep and he cried out in pain.
There was so much blood. His hands were slippery with it when he grabbed her and she screamed again driving her right elbow into his ribs.
She felt his body buck from the impact.
‘You bitch,’ he gasped and raised the knife. It glittered silver in the moonlight. Allie raised a fist to block the blow, striking his wrist with all her strength.
The hilt was slick with her blood, and the knife flew out of his hand and sailed across the roof.
Swearing, Gabe let her go and scrambled after it. Picking it up, he spun back towards her.
‘You’re dying now, bitch,’ he growled, his eyes blazing. ‘No matter what.’
‘No she isn’t.’
Zoe stood on the edge of the roof, eyes fixed on Gabe.
Dread filled Allie’s chest with ice.
Not Zoe. Please, not Zoe.
Looking at Allie, Gabe held up his hands in frustration. ‘Who the hell is this child?’
But she was focused on Zoe. She wanted to run to her side, but Gabe stood between them.
‘What are you doing here? Go back down. You have to go back down now.’ Allie kept her voice low but forceful.
‘I came to your room.’ The younger girl never took her eyes off Gabe. She seemed to find him fascinating. ‘Katie said you were upset. I heard you talking.’ For just a second her gaze flickered around them appreciatively. ‘I’ve never been up on the roof before. It’s awesome.’