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I hadn’t really interacted with ful way, outside Rachel of course Yet, there they were Roughly a dozen replies toif they could chat with me

Maybe we could study together virtually?

Conspicuously absent froan Despite the fact that, in my humble estimation, she needed more help than any of thethem in her oords

What little she had up at least seeon Like a latter-day Rosetta Stone for film analysis

She was nothing if not honest In terms of both facts and fairness as far as I could tell That fact alone spurred ht be okay after all Despite, no doubt, having a head full of dogma shit

I had just poisedto invite her to chat when I thought better of it Re how she had reacted when she first saw entlyChapter Eleven - RachelI couldn’t ht I tried to lift my head but all I could see was the floor All I could feel was the table beneath me Cold and smooth

My wrists and ankles were tied to the tops of the table legs with gentle silk ropes Dad always said the idea was to hold

We were at home I knew that much Last time it had been in the church In the basement I didn’t think the priest knew but if he did, he never said anything Ours was a sect that still believed in literal exorcise was unlikely to raise any eyebrows

“Daddy?” I asked, as a floorboard creaked

“I’ht?”

“What’s happening, daddy? I can’t move”

“ThatDaddy has to do, and it's easier if you can’t thrash about Remember what happened last time?”