The trees at Oakenbridge cast shadows across the path, making the world feel like it's breathing around us. Emily's silver hair catches the sunlight as she walks beside me, her hand occasionally brushing against mine in that casual way that still sends electricity up my spine.
"You should finish up your shake, baby," Emily says, nodding toward the travel cup I've been nursing for the last twenty minutes. "I'll take the bottle when you're done."
I glance down at the chocolate milkshake, now melted enough that it slides easily through the straw. The picnic basket swings gently from Emily's other hand, packed with sandwiches and whatever other surprises she's prepared. I still don't know why we're here, but the day is perfect, not too hot, just enough breeze to make the leaves dance.
"Almost done," I say, drinking well over half of the total thing at once.
Big mistake.
The cold slams into my brain like an ice pick, a sharp pain shooting from the roof of my mouth straight to the center of my head. My entire face contorts as I squeeze my eyes shut, a groan escaping through clenched teeth.
"Fuck…" I hiss, pressing my palm against my forehead as if that could somehow stop the freezing agony.
Emily laughs, the sound light and musical against my suffering. "Brain freeze?"
I nod, wincing through the stabbing pain.
"I did warn you about drinking too fast," Emily says, a hint of amusement in her voice.
I don't mention that she also just encouraged me to finish the shake. The contradiction doesn't really matter right now, not while my brain feels like it's being squeezed in an ice vise.
"You're right," I manage to get out, my words strained through clenched teeth.
Emily takes the cup from my hand, her fingers brushing against mine with gentle care. I press my palm harder against my forehead, willing the pain to subside. The path ahead blurs slightly as tears spring to my eyes from the intensity.
After about a minute, the agony begins to fade. The sharp pain dulls to a minor ache, then dissipates entirely. A strange wave of calm washes over me as the freeze releases its grip, leaving me feeling oddly peaceful. It's almost like the contrast between pain and its absence creates its own kind of tranquility.
I exhale deeply, shoulders relaxing as relief flows through me.
"All better?" Emily asks, watching my face with those attentive blue eyes that always seem to catch every micro-expression.
"Yeah," I respond, the single word carrying more contentment than it probably should. I roll my shoulders, enjoying the pleasant absence of pain. "That was intense."
Emily smiles, tucking the empty cup into a side pocket of the picnic basket. "We're almost there. Just around this bend."
The path curves ahead, winding between tall oaks that filter the sunlight into dappled patterns across the ground. Something about Emily's posture shifts as we walk, a subtle tightening in her shoulders, a deliberate quality to her steps that wasn't there before.
Emily's arm slips around my waist, her grip surprisingly firm. I glance at her, confused by the sudden possessiveness, but her eyes remain fixed ahead, focused on something I can't yet see. Her fingers dig slightly into my side, not painful but deliberate, like she's making sure I can't step away.
"Emily?" I question softly.
"It's going to be okay," she murmurs, guiding me forward with that same unyielding grip. "Just stay with me."
We round the bend, and the path opens to a clearing where several wooden picnic tables sit overlooking the lake. The noon sky stretches above us, a perfect cloudless blue that reflects off the water's surface. Under different circumstances, it would be breathtaking.
But my breath catches for an entirely different reason.
She's sitting at one of the tables, her back straight, hands folded primly on the wooden surface. Brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, wire-rimmed glasses catching the sunlight. The bruises that once decorated her face have faded completely.
Holly.
My rapist. The woman who threatened to destroy everything I have with Emily.
My stomach plummets as if I've been shoved from a great height. The peaceful feeling from moments ago evaporates, replaced by a cold dread that seeps into my bones. My feet stop moving of their own accord, but Emily's arm around my waist urges me forward.
"Emily," I whisper, my voice barely audible even to myself. "Is that Holly?"
Emily's grip tightens further, almost protective now. "Yes, baby. But don't be afraid. I'm right here. I'll keep you safe."
Holly spots us approaching and stands, smoothing down her skirt with practiced motions. A smile spreads across her face, eager, almost hopeful. It looks so normal, so ordinary, like we're just meeting for a casual get-together. Like she didn't violate me. Like she didn't try to blackmail me.
"Hello!" Holly calls out, raising her hand in a small wave. Her voice carries across the clearing, bright and friendly.
I say nothing. My throat closes completely, words dying before they can form. Every instinct in my body screams at me to run, to get as far away from her as possible. But Emily's arm around my waist holds me steady, anchoring me to the spot.
"Hello, Holly," Emily responds, her voice carrying a warmth I can't comprehend. How can she sound so normal? So casual? This woman tried to steal me away from her, and yet Emily's leading me right to her like we're all friends meeting for lunch.
As we near the picnic table, Emily's voice suddenly lifts with forced cheerfulness. "What a beautiful day! Why don't we go for a little hike before we eat? The trails around the lake are gorgeous this time of year."
Holly's eyes brighten immediately. "That sounds lovely. I could use some exercise."
I glance between them, my stomach twisting into knots. They're both smiling, both speaking in these light, airy tones that sound completely disconnected from reality. It's like watching actors perform a play where I don't know any of my lines.
I lean closer to Emily, my lips nearly touching her ear. "She raped me," I whisper, the words burning my throat as they come out.
Emily's smile doesn't falter, but her eyes turn to ice as she looks at me. "I didn't forget, baby," she whispers back, her voice a frigid contrast to her warm expression. "Just hang in there a bit longer for me, okay?"
The disconnect between her words and her demeanor makes my head spin. I nod weakly, unable to form a coherent response.
We follow a narrow trail away from the picnic area, Emily leading the way with Holly behind her, and me bringing up the rear. The path winds deeper into the park, taking us away from the open spaces and other visitors. With each step, the trees grow thicker around us, branches creating a canopy that filters the sunlight into scattered patterns on the ground.
After about twenty minutes of walking, we're deep in the park, surrounded by nothing but trees and underbrush. If I were alone, I'd feel completely lost out here. No landmarks, no signs, just endless green in every direction.
Emily stops in a small clearing and turns to me, holding out the picnic basket. "Do you mind setting up the blanket, Danny? It's at the bottom."
I take the picnic basket from Emily's outstretched hand, trying to keep my breathing steady. My fingers tremble slightly as I dig through the contents, finally finding the blanket folded neatly at the bottom. The fabric is soft between my fingers as I shake it out, watching it billow in the gentle breeze before settling onto the forest floor.
"Thanks, baby," Emily says, her voice carrying that same unsettling cheerfulness.
As I smooth out the corners of the blanket, a wave of unexpected drowsiness hits me. I can't help the yawn that escapes my lips, my hand coming up too late to cover it.
That's strange. I slept fine last night, didn't I? My thoughts feel slightly fuzzy around the edges, like cotton is slowly filling my head.
Holly steps onto the blanket before I've even finished arranging it, positioning herself right in the center like she's claiming territory. Her eyes find mine, and that familiar anxiety crawls up my spine.
"Hello, Daniel," she says, her voice soft but somehow triumphant.
"Hi," I manage to respond, immediately backing up until I'm standing beside Emily again. The safety of her presence is the only thing keeping me from bolting through the trees.
Holly's hands drift to her stomach in what looks like a practiced, deliberate gesture. "I do have some news," she announces, a smile spreading across her face that makes my blood run cold. There's something almost evil in the curve of her lips, something calculating and victorious.
"I'm pregnant," she declares, her eyes locked on my face, watching for my reaction.
The words barely register before two sharp pops cut through the air, so muffled they sound more like books being dropped than gunshots. Holly's body jerks twice, her expression transforming from smug satisfaction to complete bewilderment.
My eyes dart to Emily, who stands with her arm extended, a small pistol with a silencer attachment gripped firmly in her hand. Her face is completely calm, almost serene, as if she's just watered a houseplant instead of shooting a person.
"What the fuck?!" I gasp, stumbling backward, my legs suddenly weak beneath me.
Holly stares down at her body in confusion, at the two small holes now marring her shirt, one in her stomach, one in her chest. Small red stains begin to bloom around each puncture, spreading outward like macabre flowers.
"I'm pregnant," Holly repeats, her voice higher now, tinged with disbelief as she looks up from her wounds. Her fingers press against the holes, coming away red and wet. "And you shot me before you knew?"
Holly's knees give out beneath her. She collapses onto the picnic blanket, fear flooding her eyes as the reality of what's happening sinks in.
"I already knew," Emily says, her voice eerily calm as she stands over Holly with the gun still aimed.
"How?" Holly gasps, one hand pressed against her bleeding chest, the other protectively covering her stomach. Blood seeps between her fingers, staining the blanket beneath her.
"Your little friend Stacy," Emily replies with a casual shrug. "She's a working girl like me. I helped her out when she needed it, and she owed me a big favor."
My brain feels wrapped in cotton, struggling to process what's happening. The edges of my vision blur slightly as I try to focus on Emily's face.
Emily adjusts her aim and fires again. The muffled pop makes Holly's body jerk backward, a third bloom of red appearing on her chest.
"But the baby," Holly whimpers, her voice thin and desperate now. Blood trickles from the corner of her mouth as she looks up at Emily.
Emily's face contorts with disgust, her lip curling as she stares down at Holly. "You think I'd ever let some disgusting baby you raped out of my husband into this world? NOT A CHANCE! I DESPISE YOU, HOLLY!"
The venom in Emily's voice cuts through the fog in my head. I've never heard her speak with such raw hatred before.
"But what about Daniel?" Holly whispers, her eyes finding mine. Blood bubbles between her lips as she speaks.
"Emily..." I manage to say, my tongue feeling strangely heavy in my mouth. A confusing mix of horror, shock, and even a touch of relief swirl inside me.
Holly's gaze shifts back to Emily, her breathing becoming labored. "He's going to hate you for this."
Emily laughs then, a sound so unhinged it sends ice through my veins.
"Hate me?" she says between peals of laughter. "Do you seriously think I'd kill my pregnant daughter in front of my husband if there was the slightest chance it would make him not love me anymore?"
"What?" I mumble, struggling to follow her logic through the increasing haze in my mind.
Emily's eyes contain a wildness I've never seen before, bright and terrible with a madness that seems to have been hiding just beneath the surface all this time.
"I roofied him over a half hour ago," she says, her voice light and casual, like she's discussing the weather instead of drugging me.
"Ohhhh," I respond, the word elongated as things suddenly start making sense. The milkshake. The brain freeze. The growing fog in my head.
Holly's eyes begin to glaze over, her breaths coming in wet, rattling gasps as blood pools beneath her on the picnic blanket. The sight should horrify me more than it does, but through the haze of whatever's in my system, everything feels distant, like I'm watching it happen on a screen rather than right in front of me.
Emily steps forward, her movements precise and deliberate. She raises the gun one final time, aiming directly at Holly's forehead.
"Wait…" Holly tries to say, but the last pop cuts her off mid-word.
Her body goes completely still, eyes fixed and vacant. The forest around us seems unnaturally quiet after, as if even the birds are holding their breath.
Emily sighs deeply, tucking the gun into her purse with practiced ease. "Thank God Stacy gave me advance warning," she says, sounding almost relieved. "I already dug the hole."
The words float through my cotton-filled brain, not quite connecting with any coherent thoughts. I feel myself swaying slightly where I stand, the trees around us beginning to blur at the edges.
"Emily..." I reach for her, my arm moving through the air with dreamlike slowness. My fingers feel numb and distant, like they belong to someone else.
She turns to me, all the coldness gone from her face now. Her blue eyes are soft again, maternal and loving as she steps over Holly's body to reach me.
"Shhh, it's all over now, okay?" Emily's arms wrap around me, holding me upright as my legs threaten to give out. Her hand strokes my hair with infinite tenderness. "When you wake up, you won't remember any of this. Not a single thing."
I nod, the motion making the world spin around me. That sounds nice. Forgetting. The image of Holly's body is already starting to fade from my mind, details blurring together like watercolors in the rain.
Emily's lips find mine, kissing me with a desperate intensity that cuts through the fog for just a moment. She kisses me like she's drowning and I'm her oxygen, like her very existence depends on this connection between us.
When she pulls back, her eyes shine with unshed tears. "I love you," she whispers, and I can hear the truth of it resonating through every syllable.
I smile, noticing how beautiful Emily looks with the sunlight playing across her silver hair.
What were we talking about? Something important, I think, but it's slipping away like water through my fingers.
"I love you too," I manage to say as darkness creeps in from the edges of my vision.
The last thing I see before consciousness slips away entirely is Emily's smile, relieved, triumphant, and so full of love it almost hurts to look at.