Absolute Darkness - A CME Survival Thriller

his brows dropped. “Please,” he begged. “That big man there. That’s my dad. He gave me a gun and a lesson this morning.”
“So?” Sam said.
“Well, I know him, so I’m pretty freaked out,” Dorian said, his cheerfulness had faded. “I need a place to hide.”
“It’s fine,” I said, squeezing my hands together so hard my fingertips were numb.
Sam groaned and rolled her eyes. “For the love of God.”
“Are you sure?” Erik asked softly.
“Yeah, let’s just get out of here,” I said as Dorian climbed into the boat, splashing water over the edge.
Sam sat down next to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. She squeezed me while shooting a dirty look at Dorian.
“Hey!” the big man shouted. Sweat dripped down the sides of his face as he slowly jogged toward the dark. “Get out of that damn boat, you stupid kid.”
“Twenty-four fucking years old, and he’s still calling me a kid,” Dorian muttered.
“You could try to stop acting like one,” Sam muttered.
Erik started the motor, and we pulled out of the dock before the big man reached the end of the short pier. He reached up his fist, shaking it in the air.
“You’re dead, kid. Dead,” the man roared.
He kept shouting, but I couldn’t hear him. It likely wasn’t anything Dorian would want to hear anyway.
Erik expertly drove his boat to the dock and tied it up. It looked like it was something he’d done a thousand times.
We walked silently down the dirt path that took us back to the main road. I didn’t turn when Dorian cleared his throat several times.
“So,” he said, dragging the word as he clapped his hands together. “The three of you are all staying together then?”
“No,” Erik answered quickly. “I live down the road.”
Dorian tapped me on the shoulder. “You probably don’t remember, but I was at your place one summer. I was in the car that dropped you off after a party.”
“You’re not staying with us,” Sam said.
“Aw, come on, you saw my dad. I can’t go back there,” Dorian said.
“Not our problem,” Sam said.
“You can stay with me for the time being,” Erik said. “I have more than enough space.”
Sam’s eyes widened. “He’ll probably rob you. Yeah!” She started wagging her finger at Dorian. “That’s your scam, isn’t it? Rob innocent people and keep the stuff for yourself. Sell it to the tourists!”
“No one is going to buy random stuff when all they want is to get home,” Dorian said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I’m not a bad guy, and I’m not even sure what I did to give you that impression.”
Sam snorted and crossed her arms. “It’s just that Mel and I know guys like you.”
“Guys like me?” Dorian said with a frustrated laugh. “You don’t know me.”
“You know,” Erik said, his voice booming over Dorian’s. “I was thinking that maybe we should all stay together. Things seem to be getting worse in town.
“We’re fine,” Sam said. “Thanks for the ride. We have work to do. Let’s go, Mel.”
Erik waved, but Dorian looked as though his head was about to pop off his thin neck.
“If you change your mind, feel free to stop by,” Erik said as Sam pulled me away.
“Thanks!” I called back, still feeling dazed from the adventure to town.
Sam took everything from the SUV and brought it into my mom’s house. She walked over to each door and tested the lock.
“We’ll need to check all the windows, too,” she said with her hands on her hips. “No more staying in the SUV at night. We’re sitting ducks out there.”
“Sam,” I said calmly. “I’m really not worried about that guy, but you’re not going to believe this.”
“What?” she asked, turning sharply. Her eyes glued to mine as if she were trying to pull the words out of my brain.
I released a slow breath as I sat down on the sofa. My hands slid up and down my thighs.
“I’m pretty sure I saw Elijah’s truck in town,” I blurted out.
Sam’s shoulder dropped, and she sat down next to me. “Oh, honey.”
“Same rims, same make, model, year—everything,” I said.
“Do you know how many people probably have that same truck,” Sam said.
“It was like I could feel him,” I said.
Sam squeezed my hands. “I know the terrible things he did to you and how awful that must have been, but it’s over. You’re safe.”
“Am I? I’m not sure any of us are safe right now. If something goes wrong, we can’t call for help. There isn’t anything we can do,” I said, pressing my fingertips into my skull as I dragged them through my hair. I released a long, heavy sigh between my pursed lips. “I know it’s not him, but I just don’t know how I’ll ever shake it. You and Olivia don’t even know the half of it.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Sam asked.
I placed my hands in my lap and shook my head. “I’m not sure it would do any good.”
“If it doesn’t, then you’re no worse off than you are now,” Sam said, sounding more like herself.
“Fine,” I said, rubbing my palms up and down my thighs. “Let’s see, you know the awful names he called me, slut, cheater, and you know it was the last straw when he hit me, but what you didn’t know was what he did to try to keep me with him.”
Sam pressed her lips together. She took my hand in hers and squeezed.
“He locked me in his basement,” I said as I shivered. “It was so damp, dark, and cold. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the first time he’d put someone down there.”
“What makes you think that?” Sam asked.
I swallowed hard. “There