Chapter Forty-One: Station to Station:

They found Jason lying on his bed with his eyes wide open. There were no marks on his body. He just stopped breathing. The blood vessels were broken in his eyes. Jason had his hands up as if to fend for himself. His mother was the one who found him. She’s never been the same sense. She was the one who called me. I told Grandma, Henry, and Mrs. Doris everything. I broke down crying afterwards.

“I can’t take this anymore!” I wailed. “Miranda keeps scaring me! I don’t know what to do!” Granma patted me on the head.

“Dry your eyes,” she whispered down to me. “I will find a way to help you.” I looked up at her with big eyes. Was she serious? The color drained from my face as I shook my head.

“Please…” I pleaded. “Don’t get my hopes up.” I started backing away from my grandma.

“Sweetheart?” she asked. I turned and walked out of her room. I wanted to believe her but giving what I have been living with, I didn’t have much hope anymore. I thought I was going to be stuck until Miranda’s reign of terror forever.

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Jason’s parents invited me to the funeral. I couldn’t bring myself to go at first. Henry rested his hand on my shoulder.

“You can’t end this like this,” he said. “You have to say goodbye properly. Give his soul and his family peace.” His voice always had this calming effect on me when he talked. I didn’t answer as I stared at him with big eyes. I tried to speak but he gently shushed me.

“Don’t talk,” Henry told me. “You will know the answer for yourself.” I stood here, silent.

The service was small. Just his family, some of their neighbors, and myself in a small church near the outskirts of town. Everyone had their own whispers of what happened. Only I knew the truth. I could feel Miranda’s eyes burned into my back. She didn’t need to say anything for me to know what happened. Thinking about it made me so angry. I clenched my fists and kept my eyes down. A pair small hands rested on my shoulders.

“My, my, my,” she murmured. “Look at poor pathetic little Kinsey.” I gritted my teeth.

“What do you want?” I hissed. Miranda tried not to laugh.

“Come on now,” she said. “Did you really think that I would let you be happy with that guy? He was lame and getting in the way of us.” I shook my head.

“He really did love me,” I whispered. Miranda tried not to laugh.

“Really?” she asked. “Do you really believe something so stupid like that?” I looked up at her, glaring.

“What do you know about love?” I asked. Her nails sank down into my shoulders. Her brushed up against my ear.

“More than you will ever know,” she hissed. When I turned around, she was gone. Her words made me shiver. I sat away from the family for safe measure.

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Two weeks later, my results for the program came in.

“Kinsey!” Mrs. Doris shouted from the kitchen. “You have mail!”

“Coming!” I yelled. I climbed off of my bed and made my way down the stairs. She handed me a big brown package. Hm? What was this? I opened the top and reached inside. My jaw dropped.

“I got in,” I said. I looked up at Mrs. Doris. “I am going to Japan.” A huge smile spread across her face.

“I knew that you could do it,” she said. I forced myself to smile as she pulled me into a hug. I should have been happy. But I knew deep down inside that it wasn’t going to be enough. Miranda was going to follow me no matter where I went.

I couldn’t enjoy the parties held in honor of my success. I could only sit there and force myself to smile. Miranda stood behind me with that cold look in her eyes. Her smirk made my stomach turn. Days later, Grandma, Henry, and Mrs. Doris saw me off to the airport. The whole time, I force myself to keep calm and smile. I would be on the plane soon. Once again, I would be alone.

Just like I am now when I am writing all of this. Alone and trapped in my fear and paranoia.