Chapter 42: Homecoming Betrayal
Carrying Sane in my arms, I stumbled onto the farm—home at last. Her frail, lifeless form sent tremors through my hands, a visceral fear clawing at me. ‘If you lose her, it’s the end of everything.’ The thought gnawed at me, like a literal speaker inside my head. I pushed through the familiar doorway and entered the house.
Inside, I eased her onto the bed, my heart hammering.
I needed help—now.
I snatched the phone to call Dr. Phillip when a sharp voice sliced through the quiet.
“Who are you!?” a man barked from behind me.
I whirled around, nerves raw.
A stranger stood there, posture stiff, eyes glinting with distrust.
“What do you mean, ‘who am I?’” I snapped. “Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?”
“Your house?” He sneered. “You mean my house.”
He didn’t look deranged, but his words were nonsense. I didn’t have time for this. With a surge of frustration, I seized his collar, hauled him outside, and slammed the door, locking it tight. Sane was my priority—everything else could burn.
I raced to fetch Dr. Phillip, my mind churning with dread. When we returned, the stranger was back, this time with Ian, our farm manager, trailing beside him. I brushed past them, guiding the doctor to Sane. He stitched her wounds with steady hands and dosed her with painkillers. As her breathing evened out, the suffocating darkness in my chest began to lift, and my thoughts cleared—just enough.
I turned to Ian, voice taut. “What’s going on? Who is this guy, and where’s my sister?”