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“Your dad?” She hadn’t heard hisusually rattled the s

“No,” he said, voice taking on a chilling note “The Devil”

Jazz’s hands began to shake the longer Paul stared at her “Uh, o ch-check, uh check for, for your dad” She started for the door again resisting the urge to break into a sprint

“No!”

The command was so sharply issued, Jazz stopped on instinct

Paul grabbed her upper arm “He’s here and he wants you We need to keep you safe,” he said as he dragged her back froh yank

“Ow! Paul, stop There’s no one here” She twisted, trying to free herself frorip, the skin of her arm pulled and burned like his hands were made of fire “Please, Paul, stop”

“Shh” He threw her against the wall, holding her there with a hand on her chest “I knohere he is” His sunken face leaned in so close she could smell the smoke on his breath

“P-Paul, listen to me, please”

“I knohere he is”

This wasn’t working She needed a new plan Maybe… “W-where, Paul? Where is he?” Maybe by playing along she could steer him out of the room

He looked into her eyes and she sed as dread filled her “He’s in you”

Jazz’s knees buckled at the cold look in his eyes and had he not drawn her in for a bone-crushing hug, she’d have fallen to the floor

“Don’t worry,” he whispered as he squeezed her “I knohat to do I have to get him out”

“W-wh, uh, like an exorcisan to spin

Breathe, Jazz Stall him

“L-let’s do that in the l-living rooive her some chance to escape His father should be home within the next ten minutes She could do this

She could keep hiot home She had too No matter how scared she was, no matter what he did to her, no matter how hard it was to breathe She couldn’t panic She could do it