Chapter 3
I had no idea how long I stayed in that basement.
No food. No water.
Only endless darkness and cold despair.
I was so hungry my vision blurred. My stomach cramped again and again.
But I didn’t dare collapse.
I kept telling myself that for my baby, I had to hold on.
I felt along the wall, hoping to find even the smallest sliver of light.
All I touched was cold dampness.
Just when I was close to losing hope, the basement door suddenly opened.
A harsh beam of light poured in.
I lifted my hand to shield my eyes.
“Well, look at that. Still alive?”
The familiar, sharp voice made my stomach turn.
Susan.
She wore an expensive silk nightgown and a flawless face of makeup, looking down at me like I was trash.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of someone who had supposedly just miscarried.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
My voice was so hoarse it barely sounded human.
“What else?” She covered her nose and stepped inside with obvious disgust. “I came to see how pathetic the great Emma looks now.”
She clicked her tongue.
“Honestly, I never thought I’d get to see you like this.”
“You always acted so superior. Look at you now. You’re no better than a dog.”
I closed my eyes and ignored her, saving what little strength I had left.
But she refused to leave me alone.
She crouched in front of me and jabbed one bright red fingernail hard against my cheek.
“What’s wrong? Too proud to talk?”
“Weren’t you always so untouchable?”
“Didn’t you think I was beneath you?”
“What about now? Look at yourself. You’re beneath me.”
My eyes snapped open.
I slapped her hand away.
“Get out.”
She jumped, startled by my sudden movement.
Then humiliation turned to rage.
“You dare tell me to get out?”
She raised her hand to slap me.
With the last of my strength, I grabbed her wrist.
“Susan, I’m warning you. Don’t push me.”
“Because I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Maybe there was something terrifying in my eyes.
She froze.
Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she laughed.
“You still think you can fight me?”
“Emma, you don’t have claws anymore. Anyone can destroy you now.”
She reached behind her and brought out a black cloth bag.
“Do you know what’s inside?”
Her smile turned twisted.
“A gift. I prepared it especially for you.”
She opened the bag and dumped its contents onto the floor.
Several brightly colored snakes spilled out, hissing, their tongues flicking in the dark.
My eyes went wide.
I screamed.
Scrambling backward, I pressed myself into the corner.
“Susan, are you insane? Get them away from me!”
“Insane?”
Susan’s smile widened.
“I went insane a long time ago.”
“Emma, you stole Joseph from me. You stole everything that should’ve been mine.”
“Now I’m going to make you understand what it feels like to lose everything.”
“You and your baby can go to hell together.”
Then she turned and walked out.
The door slammed shut again.
Leaving me alone with the snakes.
I curled into the corner, shaking so hard my teeth chattered.
The snakes moved closer.
Closer.
Their cold tongues almost brushed my skin.
I squeezed my eyes shut in despair.
Then a sharp pain ripped through my abdomen.
Warm liquid slid down my legs.
I looked down.
Bright red blood stained my dress.
My baby.
My baby!
Between the pain and the terror, darkness swallowed me whole, and I blacked out.
