17.

 

Once more, I am awoken. Why am I so tired? This time, I recognize where I am. The police station. We go in through a side down and down a few halls. Walking behind me is Bethany, although it seems like nobody noticed she is here.

            “Run.” Bethany keeps whispering fiercely at me. I don’t know what she means…it’s too late.

            “Run.”

            A man is taking me into a big room, where I see my father sitting at a bench, looking tired, drinking some coffee. My body stiffens in fear. Is he mad?

            “Run, Jill!” Bethany says loudly, and I turn to look at her.

            “What? Why? What am I supposed to do now?” I say quietly to her, trying to play it off as a mutter.

            “Dad is going to hurt you more tonight,” she says, her eyes sharp and defiant. “It’s not happening. Not anymore. I have a plan.”

            “Jill.”

            I hear my father’s voice. I turn to look at him, and I don’t smile.

            His eyes furrow and he stands up, and he looks a little confused. Like he is deciding whether to be mad at me or to forgive me and do the overjoyed tears act. He just says, “Don’t do that again.”

            Bethany comes up behind me and whispers softly into my ear, “After my plan works, you never have to run away from your dad again.”

            I smile. Bethany must be right. Isn’t she always? Yes, she is.

            “Okay,” I say coyly to Dad, although fear is wracking through my body. What’s the plan?