The Inmate

by Freida McFadden

Margie swivels her head to look out at the woods. “Are you sure he’s in danger? I mean, he’s with his father. I’m sure he’s fine.”

NO NOT YOU TOO

I never told Margie that Shane was Josh’s father. I never even told her I was with Shane. And I certainly never told her where I was today. Even though she doesn’t look the slightest bit surprised to see me here. “Margie?” I say. Her lips curl slightly. “That’s not actually my name. We have met before, and you do know me by my real name, but I doubt you would remember it. Of course you wouldn’t.” She titters. “In fact, I’ll tell you what, Brooke. If you can tell me my real first name, I’ll take you right to Shane and Josh.”

WHAT THE FUUUUUUCK

I stare at her wrinkled face, trying desperately to place her. While I’m trying to figure it out, she sifts around in her purse again. But this time, instead of her phone, she pulls out a gun. And she points it right at me.

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“Margie,” I gasp. “Why… why are you doing this? I thought we were friends.” “Friends!” Margie throws back her head and laughs until her jowls shake. “No. We weren’t friends. I only tolerated you so that I could spend time with my grandson. That’s the only reason I didn’t spit in your face.” My mouth falls open. “Your…” “Josh is a very sweet boy,” she muses. “Not as sweet as my boy, but of course, he was raised by you, not me. All those years, your witch of a mother wouldn’t even tell us he existed. Can you believe that?”

im going to lose my shit

“Yes, I do.” She shakes the gun at me. “Because I’m the one who stabbed Chelsea.” My whole body goes numb. What? “You really think that goody two shoes Tim Reese would have done that?” She snorts. “He was just our patsy, starting with that girl he dated… Tracy Gifford. The plan Shane and I came up with for that night was to let him live so the police would blame it all on him. And if you hadn’t gotten away, it would’ve worked.”

what what what what what what the amount of plot twists i've suffered is unreal

He doesn’t know that the icicles from the tree may have saved his life. He doesn’t know that the man lying in front of us in the snow is his father—the one he has been desperate to meet all these years. He doesn’t even know Shane is dead.

what in the name of all that is holy im am losing my mind the plot twists are killing me im dead im dying im on the floor i cant breathe holy shit

I waited until Shane was standing under one of the branches. I reached up and shook the branches, and all the ice fell on him. It was a lot of snow and ice. It was enough to make him fall down. I walked over to see if it had knocked him out, like in Little League last year when Jaden threw that ball at Oliver’s head (accidentally). But it didn’t knock Shane out. He was on the floor, rubbing his head, but he was still fine. That’s when I saw the icicle on the ground.

oh.my.god

It was huge—about the same size as the bat in Little League, where I’m the best hitter on the whole team. So I picked it up with my gloved hands and I swung it—the way Tim showed me when we practiced in the fall. And I swung it again. And again. And again. I thought it might break, but the ice was pretty strong. It didn’t break. It held together really well. The first time the icicle hit Shane’s head, he shouted. But not the second time. Or the third. Eventually, Shane stopped moving at all. I can’t remember how many times it took before that happened.

omfg

When I do something bad, Mom always tells me to say I’m sorry. But I’m not sorry I hit Shane in the head with that icicle. I had to do it. Tim said he was dangerous and that he was going to hurt my mom. And I could hear when he was talking on his phone that he wasn’t being nice to her. Tim was right. I had to do what I did. After all, I would do anything for my mom. THE END

WHAT HAVE I JUST READ