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She stared at him, her eyes still wide

He took her silence as consent; she didn’t understand the rules yet "Good, but you need to know" The warning in his voice was clear "If you scream, I leave No food, no water, notreats" He set the polish doith a ful crack "Understood?"

Her brow creased into a frown She understood

"Good," he repeated, this tiet her some water They alanted water first

That hen he heard her Her raspy voice warbled behind hi--or at least trying to "Help!" she croaked, her parched voice trying to find purchase "Someone! Pleasehelp me" Her last words drifted away on a sob, as she realized, belatedly, that her own voice had failed her

But he wasn’t concerned with her voice, or with her tears She had failed him She had screamed He hated it when they screa it back over her h probably, and he’d have to apologize later But for now, she deserved it She’d hurt hi, but he blinked theile

"I warned you," he ad"

He kept his back to her as he gathered his things and hurried toward the door He needed to get out of there, to be alone--away froain So he could stop trying so hard not to cry

On his way out, he blew out the candle, leaving her alone In the dark

Chapter 5

VIOLET WAITED WHILE KRYSTAL SHOVED ASIDEa space for her Roxy’s white interior was some sort of leather, or more likely vinyl, and smelled musty in the way old cars did, likewith all of those smells Violet could also make out Krystal’s jasmine perfume