The Girl From the Woods
25
The bar was crowded as I slipped into a seat and flagged Bridget down. She came over quickly, glaring at me, but then her expression changed. She put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently.
"What the hell happened?" she asked.
She meant when she came to my apartment and I didn't answer, but she must have heard the phone call I received.
"Rachel's killer called me," I said. I blinked as she placed a glass down in front of me. I didn't ask what it was. I just drank it, then rubbed my face. "I went to the police and told the detective what happened. Of course he didn't believe me."
"Shouldn't you be in prison?" Bridget wondered. Her eyes widened. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like an accusation, Q."
I waved my hand. "You're the only one who believes that I didn't do this. The whole town is afraid of me. But before this, no one noticed me." My hands shook and the glass trembled.
Bridget frowned, looking hurt. "I've always noticed you, Quinn."
Then she left to help more customers, but every so often glanced in my direction. I already felt like shit, I didn't need her making me feel worse. So I stood, and pushed my way out the door.
The sidewalk was empty, except for a man leaning against the bar wall. He looked at me with a sharp gaze and stepped in front of me.
"I know you," he said, his voice rough.
"Sorry?"
"You killed her."
He reached up and grabbed my shoulder, but before I could push away, I felt his fist against my stomach. The punch knocked the air out of me, sent me to my knees, where I gasped as he hit me again. He shouted at me, but my screams didn't drown out his words. I wish they'd had.
"You killed my sister."
"What the hell happened?" she asked.
She meant when she came to my apartment and I didn't answer, but she must have heard the phone call I received.
"Rachel's killer called me," I said. I blinked as she placed a glass down in front of me. I didn't ask what it was. I just drank it, then rubbed my face. "I went to the police and told the detective what happened. Of course he didn't believe me."
"Shouldn't you be in prison?" Bridget wondered. Her eyes widened. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like an accusation, Q."
I waved my hand. "You're the only one who believes that I didn't do this. The whole town is afraid of me. But before this, no one noticed me." My hands shook and the glass trembled.
Bridget frowned, looking hurt. "I've always noticed you, Quinn."
Then she left to help more customers, but every so often glanced in my direction. I already felt like shit, I didn't need her making me feel worse. So I stood, and pushed my way out the door.
The sidewalk was empty, except for a man leaning against the bar wall. He looked at me with a sharp gaze and stepped in front of me.
"I know you," he said, his voice rough.
"Sorry?"
"You killed her."
He reached up and grabbed my shoulder, but before I could push away, I felt his fist against my stomach. The punch knocked the air out of me, sent me to my knees, where I gasped as he hit me again. He shouted at me, but my screams didn't drown out his words. I wish they'd had.
"You killed my sister."