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"Spill it, kid"
The words had barely counshot in the kitchen They heard a wo to the floor and the loud cracks of dishes breaking Then the gun fired again This ti before Michael could grab her She was across the roo for the kitchen, Michael on her heels
"Sarah, stop!" he yelled "Stop!"
She didn’t even slon Michael iun loaded, ready to kill He tried to catch her, but she was too far ahead He slipped into the hallway, ran toward the kitchen Sarah stood frozen just past the doorway His heart lurched: he was expecting another gunshot Expecting his world to cru happened
He threw his ar her back several steps Then he sahat she saw The kitchen was a disaster--drawers and cupboards thrown open, pots and pans everywhere, broken dishes scattered across the tile The back door had been rahtly And there was blood Not one
Sarah trembled, raised her hands to cover her mouth But she didn’t make a sound Michael ran into the backyard--a wide patio and a laith a few small trees--and looked around but didn’t see anyone He went back in, found Sarah, tried to pulled her into his ar ith tears, her face had reddened with anger
"What …," she started to say, but didn’t finish Michael felt just as speechless
He searched the kitchen for clues On a granite island in the un It looked as if it had been placed there deliberately, on top of an envelope The envelope seen--people hardly used paper any horrible written inside; he just knew it
"They left a note," he whispered to Sarah
"What?" she asked, understandably dazed "Where?"
He pointed and she grabbed it
It was as if they’d been shifted back into the Sleep, i in slow motion as she picked up the envelope, tore it open Even the words of the NewsBop anchorwoman seemed warped as they echoed down the hallway Michael’s vision blurred as he stared at Sarah’s hands, ree
She unfolded the paper and scanned it quickly Then she looked up at Michael, tears welling in her eyes
"What does it say?" he heard hih a tunnel--it seemed barely louder than the anchorwo, and there was an odd ringing in his ears
Sarah had gone even paler She looked down at the paper again and read the words aloud
"This is your last warning Never again doubt the consequences of disobedience Obey, and they live Disobey, and they die Help me, Michael, and live forever"
Michael’s heart sank Now his proble her parents Kaine was insane He was totally, utterly insane He’d taken--and probably hurt--Sarah’s parents just to prove he could To ensure he’d get what he wanted