Chapter 43

Bethany hugged her knees and curled up in the corner. Her voice was already hoarse from screaming, yet no one came to open the door. Since the attic had no windows, the musty stench of rotting wood seeped into her nose. Through the gaps in the planks, a few threads of moonlight filtered in. She knew that night had fallen. More than ten years ago, Bethany had been locked up like this once before. She was seven then and spending her summer at Diana's place. It had been only a year since she lost Jack, and she clung desperately to Diana, craving even a scrap of familial affection. But Diana had just married Gary back then and had not yet secured her position as his wife. She had neither the time nor the heart to care about Bethany. Back then, Bethany was just Ella's playmate. That year, five-year-old Ella had tricked her into this very attic, saying that she needed help fetching a toy. Bethany never imagined that she would be locked inside for an entire night by a child two years