Chapter 4: Scandal and Shadows

I told Dad, and he was terrified.

He looked at me, eyes wild, as if I might be next. I shivered, pulling my blanket tighter.

He said all those who died were men who had gotten Aunt’s pictures—not one more, not one less.

He counted them off on his fingers, voice trembling. It was too precise to be a coincidence.

At that moment, my little brother Eli ran in crying, holding something wet in his hands.

His cheeks were streaked with tears, and his hands shook as he held out the tiny bundle.

“Eli, what’s wrong?” Stepmom asked.

She knelt beside him, brushing his hair from his forehead.

“My chick died, and all the chickens in the backyard are dead!” he sobbed.

His voice broke, and he buried his face in Stepmom’s shirt. I felt my heart twist for him.

“What?!”

Dad and I rushed outside, Stepmom close behind. The yard was eerily silent.

We rushed out and were horrified to see every chicken drowned in the coop.

Feathers floated in muddy water. The smell was sharp, unnatural. I covered my mouth, fighting the urge to gag.

There were scratch marks on the backyard door.

Deep, jagged grooves, as if something had tried to claw its way in—or out.

Stepmom shivered. “It must… it must be your sister come back! Hank, what do we do?”

She clung to Eli, her eyes wide with terror. I could see her lips moving, praying under her breath.

Dad looked green with fear.

He staggered back, clutching the porch rail. His bravado was gone.

Stepmom said, “Didn’t Uncle Joe go to the church up on the hill? Let’s go find him.”

Her voice was urgent, desperate for hope.

Dad agreed, “Right, we can’t just sit here and wait to die!”

He glanced at the woods, then at me, as if deciding who to send.

He glared at me. “Girl, you go!”

His words were final. I felt the old fear settle in my bones.

“Me? But Dad, I’m scared…”

My voice was barely a whisper, but he ignored me.

Seeing my reluctance, Dad kicked me and cursed, “I raised you all these years, and you won’t go? Should I go instead? Useless!”

His boot caught my shin. I bit my tongue, refusing to cry.

“But… the woods are huge, I don’t even know where the church is. Why don’t Stepmom and Eli go with me?” I said.

I tried to sound reasonable, but my voice shook. I glanced at Stepmom, pleading with my eyes.

Dad thought for a moment, then turned to Stepmom. “Woman, you go too!”

He jabbed a finger at her, daring her to protest.

“What? Me too? Hank, I…” Stepmom stammered.

She looked at Eli, then at me, fear written all over her face.

“Are you going or not!” Dad raised his hand to hit her.

She flinched, nodding quickly. No one in this family dared defy Dad.

So Stepmom, Eli, and I set out to find Uncle Joe on the back hill.

We packed quickly, grabbing water and a flashlight. The woods loomed ahead, dark and tangled.

Before we left, Dad took all our crosses, saying we wouldn’t need them during the day and he needed them to save his own skin.

He snatched them from my hands, stuffing them in his pockets. I clenched my jaw, anger bubbling beneath my fear.

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Maple Heights sits surrounded by tall hills, with endless ridges forming a barrier from the outside world. Many have gotten lost or died in those woods.

The trees stood like sentinels, their branches weaving a canopy that blocked out the sun. The ground was soft, the air thick with the scent of pine and earth.

But I was different. I’d grown up here—these woods were my home, and I knew them better than anyone.

Every path, every hidden hollow, was etched in my memory. I could walk these trails blindfolded.

Stepmom, though, didn’t know the trails at all, and she had to look after Eli.

She stumbled over roots, clutching Eli’s hand. He trailed behind, eyes wide with wonder and fear.

So I handed her a map I’d drawn earlier.

The paper was crumpled, the lines shaky, but it would get them where they needed to go.

“Stepmom, take Eli and go,” I said.

I tried to sound brave, but my voice trembled. I squeezed her hand, hoping she’d understand.

Stepmom looked at me. “Lily, are you sure you can do this alone?”

Her eyes were soft, worried. She brushed a strand of hair from my face.

I shook my head and smiled. “Of course. Besides, I’m not really alone.”

I patted my backpack, feeling the weight of the gray snake inside me. It was a strange comfort.

“Lily, thank you… thank you…”

Before she could finish, Stepmom hugged me tight and burst into tears.

Her sobs shook her whole body. I hugged her back, wishing I could take her pain away.

Stepmom had been brought here by Dad from another town ten years ago. She tried to run away several times, but every time she was caught and beaten—whips, belts, sticks, she’d suffered them all.

I remembered the scars on her back, the way she flinched at loud noises. She carried her pain like a shadow.

Her body was covered in scars.

Some faded, some fresh. Each one told a story she never spoke aloud.

Once, I saw Dad lock her in the shed for a week, forcing her to eat and sleep on the dirt floor.

I left food outside the door when I could. She never complained, just smiled weakly when she saw me.

After that, he only let her out when she promised never to run again, but he still kept her feet chained.

The clink of metal on concrete haunted my dreams for years.

When Eli was born, Stepmom learned to behave, and Dad finally unlocked her chains.

She doted on Eli, pouring all her love into him. He was her lifeline, her reason to stay.

I knew Stepmom stayed for her son’s sake. She was afraid if she ran and got caught again, Eli would suffer too. So she endured it.

Her love was quiet, fierce, and unbreakable. I admired her strength, even if she didn’t see it herself.

One day, I told her I could help her escape, but she’d have to help me too. She agreed.

We whispered plans late at night, careful not to wake Dad. It was the first time I’d felt hope in years.

“Sis, are you really not coming with us?” Eli asked.

His eyes were big and round, full of trust. I ruffled his hair, trying to smile.

I patted his head and smiled. “I have something important to do. When I’m done, we’ll meet outside, and I’ll make you something delicious.”

I tried to sound light, but my heart ached. I wanted nothing more than to go with them.

“Okay, pinky swear. Whoever lies is a puppy.”

He held out his pinky, solemn as a judge.

“Okay.”

We hooked fingers, sealing the promise. I blinked back tears.

With that, Stepmom took Eli into the woods. Watching them leave, I felt a pang of sadness, but I knew only by escaping Dad could they find real happiness.

I stood there until their figures disappeared, then wiped my eyes and turned back toward home.

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As the last rays of sunset faded, night fell.

The sky turned deep indigo, stars winking on one by one. The world felt both empty and full, the air humming with unseen energy.