“Wanna play tag?” I hopped up and tapped his shoulder. “You’re it,” I screamed, running full force across the empty field.

“Oh, you’re dead!” Jack shot after me, knocking his beer over in the process.

The grass was damp from the mist, moistening my sneakers and bare ankles as I ran in circles. Jack chased me until my lungs hurt. He bounced back and forth, trying to corner me.

My legs were getting weak but I kept pushing until I slipped, falling to the ground with a thud.

Jack stood over me, looking down.

“Okay, okay,” I panted. “I surrender.”

“Is that so?” He tilted his head. “You surrender yourself to me?”

My heart was thumping in my ears. “I do.”

Jack bent and scooped me up, carried me up the stairs, and tossed me onto the bed. As he removed his belt, wrapping one end around my wrists and the other around the iron bed frame, I noticed a crucifix mounted directly above the doorway.

Jack undressed me quickly and, with one eye on my naked body, pulled his own clothes off before climbing on top of me. I watched his face, the delicacy of his features starting to harden, angling severely, the lines running parallel and down. His eyes were domineering, like a mountain cat who had narrowed in on its prey.

The springs squeaked with each thrust, and as the bed frame thudded against the wall, his belt rubbed against my wrists, creating a friction that was starting to tear. Suddenly, he pulled back, striking me hard across the face with his open palm.

Frozen in place, I stared up, my eyes filled with stinging tears. Horrified, Jack scanned my face.

The hot imprint of his hand was branded onto my cheek.

“Grace, I’m so sorry.” He climbed off of me, untied my hands, and began stroking my cheek. “I don’t know what happened.”

I couldn’t speak. I wanted to say it was okay, but my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. My gaze returned to the crucifix.

“Baby, say something.”

I managed to climb out of bed, walk to the bathroom, and lock it behind me. Sliding to the floor, I sneezed, covering my mouth with the crook of my arm. Sitting upright, I pressed my back hard into the door and sneezed again, spotting a bathmat embroidered with a single crow. Grabbing it, I flung it at the wall with all the force I could.

I glanced out the window at Old Man Caleb’s house across the lawn, watching as their lights shut on and off over and over until everything went blue.

Reaching for the sink, I stood and examined my face in the mirror. My cheek throbbed with a magenta hue. I opened my mouth and moved my jaw back and forth, running my fingers along the mark. I didn’t think it would bruise, but it stung like hell. Bringing my face close to the mirror, I searched my eyes. Their blueness had deepened, without any light reflecting in them. My black mascara was smeared into the creases below. I had liked being hit. I was excited by it. My quickening breath fogged my reflection as I wondered what was wrong with me. I sure as hell couldn’t tell Jack; he’d think I was crazy. Or did he already know?