Haunting-Adeline

li le girl’s neck. Welts and a large bruise encircle her throat, but I don’t let
her see the rage simmering beneath the surface. She stares at me silently,
suspicion and tenta ve hope warring in her pre y light brown eyes.
Her eyes remind me of my li le mouse, and something protec ve flares
inside my chest.
“What’s your name, kid?” I ask, keeping my eyes trained to hers. She’s
probably wai ng for my leery gaze to travel the expanse of her body, but
she won’t ever get that shit from me.
“Sicily,” she answers. I quirk a brow.
“Is that where your parents come from?” I ques on, no ng her tanned
skin peeking from beneath the grime on her face.
She nods her head tenta vely. “Ma and Pa were born there, but they
haven’t been able to go back since they were in their teens. They said they
named me a er the island because even though they’re homesick, I
provide them with the only home they need.”
I nod, eyeing her face. Purple blooms from her right eye, and another
spark of anger ignites.
“You ready to give them a home again?”
She pauses, and then a small smile forms. “Yes,” she whispers.
Tears flood her eyes, but I don’t let her know that I no ced. I can tell she
wouldn’t appreciate it.
“Let’s go then, kid.”
This li le girl will go back home, and though she has a long journey
ahead of her, she’ll heal.
We keep tabs on all the girls we extract to ensure they don’t go missing
again. If it can happen once, it can happen twice.
She huddles in close to me as we walk out of the building. Out of the
corner of my eye, I see a girl step in blood. I pause, poin ng at her but
glaring at Ruby.
“Ruby! What’d I say? Not a drop of blood on the girls.”
Ruby startles, roles reversing as she rushes towards the girl with shame.
“I’m sorry, honey bunny, let me clean you up,” she coos to the li le girl
with way more than just a fucking drop on her foot. “Watch your step,
okay?”
I turn, sa sfied that she won’t let it happen again.