Indigo: The Saving Bailey Trilogy #2 Read Free

of my misery. Put you out of your misery.
    She didn’t see the pathetic expression on my face, or the tears pooled in my eyes. She could not hear my internal plea, screaming at her to end me. Bailey’s fire-eyes were focused on Clad as if he were the only thing in this world she could see.
    I balled my hand into a fist and bit my knuckles. I so desperately wanted to scream at Clad, “ You love her, you fool! She’s your everything! ”
    His lips moved, mouthing something to her, the gun leaving her face. She stared at him, her eyes and mouth open wide in shock. Taking one quick glance at me, she pivoted, bolted to the door and then threw herself down the main staircase. I watched her flowing black hair chasing after her, a black cloud of doom as she scrambled out of the school building. It took the sound of Clad’s gun going off to wake me from my stupor.
    Bang . I began to run full speed from its range. Fear seeped into me and ran cold through my body, screams of terror and the reverberation of gunshots pushing me, as well as everyone else, out of the school. I hit the back doors with my fists in panic before they opened up to the outside.
    Spinning around, I tried to catch another glimpse of Bailey making off on her white horse of surrender, but we had exited the building opposite ways. My heart sank as it came to me that I would never see her again.
    Choosing to also leave, I passed by the front of the school and witnessed a SWAT team burst through the front doors and swarm in like a militia of black sugar ants on a piece of unwrapped candy.
    •••
    When I got home, my heart fell at seeing Papa’s truck parked in the driveway.
    Papa stood with his back against the front door. I immediately wished I could turn back and return to school, unseen.
    “What are you doing home? You’re supposed to be at school.” His hardened face brightened at the prospect of beating me for playing hooky.
    “I – we got let out early. There was a shooting.”
    He laughed at this, his stomach jiggling and his yellow, cracked teeth exposed as he threw back his head. Tears dotted the corners of his eyes, he laughed so hard. Tears dotted the corners of my eyes, too.
    “Every time you get more creative with your lies.”
    “I’m not lying! It’s true , turn on the news and you’ll see.” I fought him.
    “Get inside, you little bitch!” He proceeded to pull me through the door and into the kitchen by my ponytail. Then he tossed me to the floor.
    I picked myself off the ground, bringing a hand to my lips, I wiped at what I thought was spit. I looked down at my shirt stained with drops of red. Blood dripped from my chin.
    Papa’s strong hands gripped my shoulders, making me face him. “ Go to your room ,” he said in a voice so cold that I shuddered as its iciness overcame me.
    I stood my ground.
    “Now!” He shoved me in the direction of my room. I picked up my feet and he followed.
    With Papa only a step behind, I ran ahead and barricaded my bedroom door with spread-out arms. My gaze shifted to an empty pack of cigarettes that I had left laying on my vanity in plain view.
    “They weren’t mine, they weren’t mine!” I screamed as Papa hoisted me up and removed me from the doorway. He picked up the empty cigarette box and chucked it across the room. Then he came back at me in a rage, shoving me backward into the vanity. My head broke the mirror.
    “Just like your mother, smoking and lying all the time,” Papa said.
    I shook my head. “No, I’m not anything like Mom. Mom never put up with your bullshit, she had the balls enough to leave you.”
    “You ever try to leave,” he said, his cheesy breath curdling as it hit the air, “and I will hunt you down!”
    “I hate you! You fat, hideous jerk!” I screamed after him as he slammed my bedroom door shut.
    I collapsed on my bed, the broken mirror reflecting my pitiful face in every fragment of glass. Two dozen crying, bleeding Miemahs. I could never hate the look of