BooksBarbecue
Back World After Save as PDF
Chapters (81)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication Page
  4. CONTENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  81. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Don’t you know you’ll die if you don’t get some water?”

She holds it out steadily.

He reaches out his arm without moving his body and takes it. He sniffs it as if suspicious that it might not be just water.

He takes a sip.

Then a gulp.

Then he downs two-thirds of it.

He pauses for a breath. He glares at Paige as if she insulted him. “What are you looking at?”

She just blinks at him.

Beliel puts the glass to his mouth, but this time he takes just a sip. He glances at Paige as if considering giving the rest to her.

Then he drains it in one big gulp.

“That’s what happens when you’re nice. You might as well learn that lesson early. Nice may have worked for you in the past but no more. That strategy only works when you’re wanted. But now, you’re no different from me. Ugly. Rejected. Unloved. I understand.”

I cannot wait to kill him.

He hands her the glass. She takes it, desperate. She tips it over in her mouth.

One small drop drips into her mouth.

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HER FACE crumples but no tears come this time. She’s probably too dehydrated.

“Hand me the sandwiches.”

She glares at him.

“They won’t do you any good. You’ll just get thirstier if you eat them.”

She pauses, then grabs the sandwiches. She throws them at him.

He chuckles as they bounce off his chest and land in pieces on his bloody bandage. He puts a sandwich back together and takes a bite. “Not too smart, are you?”

She puts her head down on her arms on the tiny table and slumps there like she’s given up.

The video goes dark.

I catch myself before asking whether she came out of that all right. For a moment, I forgot what she’s like now. Of course she’s not all right.

Doc hovers his finger over the eject button. “Had enough?”

“No,” I say through gritted teeth. “Not yet.”

He drops his hand. “It’s your punishment. Who am I to argue?”

The screen comes back on again.

Time has passed. The light has dimmed and the shadows are longer now. The door opens and an angel comes in. It’s Burnt.

Paige raises her head. When she sees who it is, she scrambles off the chair and frantically crawls under Beliel’s cot.

“Ah, so that’s where it went,” says Burnt watching Paige.

“And where did you go?” asks Beliel.

“You didn’t seem to need us, so we brought you some food and water and left you to sleep it off. How are you feeling?” Burnt bends over to look at Paige.

“Just fantastic, thank you for asking.” The sarcasm in Beliel’s voice is unmistakable. “What are you doing?”

Paige screams as Burnt drags her out from under the cot.

“Let her go,” Beliel bellows.