The Overnight Guest

by Heather Gudenkauf

But after-dinner dark was also the most unsettling time of day.

:(((

August 2000

is this wylies writing ?????

Next to the bed were two unrolled sleeping bags.

WHERES BECKY

Wylie recognized him as one of the neighbors to the east, Randy Cutter.

WHATTT

Though the cattle that were once housed here were long gone, old farm equipment remained: a bale spearer, chain harrows, a loader bucket, and more.

waait..... is she staying in the house that the whole august 2000 murder happened ??????!?!!!

The heat in the basement was becoming unbearable.

basement ??

“It was probably for the best,”

fucking bitch

You’re a lucky girl, though,”

i wouldnt rlly call that lucky

“He’s lying, you know,” her mother said, flicking through a magazine. “He does this all the time. It’s never going to happen.”

i hate when parents start to do this like dont involve your kid

“You don’t like them? I made a point to stop to pick these out for you and I don’t even get a thank-you?”

man fuck you

“I don’t even know why I bother,” her father said knocking the book from her hand. The girl shoved her fingers into her mouth to take away the sting. “Ungrateful little shit,” her father muttered pushing the cardboard box from the table. The books spilled to the floor with a crash and the girl watched as her father stomped up the steps and locked the door behind

FUCK YOU ❗️❗️❗️🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

Becky conveyed an air of maturity, confidence.

shes 13......

Ethan Doyle and the Allen girl?

what if ethan and becky are the mother and father in the other pov ???? and then the daughter is the woman with aylie and rhe boy 😱😱😱😱😱

Mandy Moore, and

hell yeah

“Ethan Doyle is what? Sixteen years old?” Kevin asked with disgust.

exactly what i was saying

book that showed a naughty little boy holding a purple crayon.

DAVID

She was pulled back into the house and her mother shut the door and twisted the lock. “We can’t go out there,” her mother said. She looked scared and her breath was fast and shallow.

girl....

So the woman and the boy were running from an abusive man.

ITS THE MOM AND DAUGHTER❗️❗️❗️

The silver truck and its two inhabitants, just sitting there.

suspicious .......

She looked at the trooper in confusion. “No,” she shook her head. “My name is Christina.”

HUH ??!??

He drew his foot back as if to kick her mother and the girl let out a whimper. Instead, he lightly tapped her with his toe.

fucking dick jfc

“I just want to know how you were able to get away and Becky wasn’t.”

dont start that bitch.....

Margo stepped around Caroline and gripped the wrist of her injured arm. Josie cried out in pain.

BITCH

Josie got to the final bunker and started pouring in the grain when a putrid odor filled her nose.

uh ohh

It was Ethan.

WHATT !?!?!?

All she could do was point to the feed bunk. Matthew’s eyes followed her finger and landed on Ethan’s body. He fell to his knees in front of the bunk. “Ethan,” he said in disbelief. The mournful bleats of the goats rose up around them.

i guess my theory abt ethan being the father was wring maybe its a different guy and the mother is josie ???

looked down at her own hand, where a matching horseshoe-shaped scar, though less pronounced, marred her palm.

whatttt tfffff

“Come here, sweetie,” her mother said. “I’m going to cut your hair.”

called it 🤓☝️

But what if that wasn’t the case? What if Becky had been hidden away for all these years? What if she’d had a child with the man who took her?

Im so confised now

A surge of guilt crashed over her. Wylie’s mind flashed back to the night of the murders when she and Becky were in her bedroom,

THIS IS JOSIE ??!??!!?!! WHAT

She was always Josie Doyle—the girl whose family was murdered,

WHATZTXYDHDIDBSIZB

“No, no,” Wylie said turning the flashlight toward the man, “I’m glad you’re here. We need...” And that’s when she recognized him. It was Jackson Henley, the man who murdered her family. The man who took Becky.

WHHAAAATTTTTTT WTFFFF

Wylie had been gone a long time.

OHH SHITT

The little girl nodded and Wylie covered her eyes and wept.

STUBFSCGUJNFDSxcds

Wylie held out her hand and the woman’s eyes flicked toward it and then away. “Sisters forever,” the woman murmured.

STOPPP

“Jackson?” Becky asked, her forehead furrowed in confusion.

hmmm.....

“Josie, Becky,” Randy sing-songed. “I know you’re in here.”

🫣🫣🫣🫣 I BET SHE NAMED THE DAUGHTER JOSIE 😱😱😱😱😱

but I got you a puppy. Don’t you want to go home and see it?”

FUCK YOUUU🖕🖕🖕

“It was supposed to be you all along,” Randy said, his voice weak but taunting.

🤢🤢🤢

“Wylie,” the little girl said shyly. “My name is Josie.” And they stepped out into the brittle sunshine.

i called it 🤓☝️

This was where Wylie read from the book. She always chose the first few pages.

this is weirddd

back and discovering that she had a granddaughter had settled in, regarded Wylie coolly.

🙄🙄🙄

“We have great kids,” Becky said. She lifted her face to the evening sun, basking at the feel of it on her skin.

🥺🥺🥺🥺

“It wasn’t your fault,” Becky said. “It was Randy Cutter’s fault—his alone. Let go of it,” Becky begged. “I never blamed you, not even once, so please stop blaming yourself.” Becky took Wylie’s hand in her own. “Sisters forever, right?” “Sisters forever,” Wylie whispered.

omg

When the first three thousand dollar notice for Dani’s nebulizer treatments came in, Maire ran to the bathroom and vomited. It was impossible. Too much.

america-core 🥺😍😍😍❗️