The Lost Years

57

Kathleen’s mind was filled with images that came and went fuzzily. People were moving all around and talking to her.

Rory was angry. “Kathleen, why are you standing at the window? Why aren’t you in bed?”

“The gun will get dirty…”

“Kathleen, you’re dreaming. Go to bed now.”

Jonathan’s arms around her. “Kathleen, it’s all right. I’m here.”

The noise.

The man looking up at her.

The door closing.

The girl with the long black hair.

Where is she?

Kathleen began to cry. “I want to…,” she moaned. What was the word? The girl was in that place. “Home,” she whispered. “I want to go home.”

Then the man with his face covered came back. He was floating across the room to her and the girl with the black hair.

Mariah.

He was pointing the gun at them both now.

Kathleen sat up in bed and grabbed the water glass from the table. She pointed it at the man and tried to pull the trigger but couldn’t find it.

She threw it across the room at him.

“Stop!” she screamed. “Stop!”