the yard with papers in his hand.
“I just called in for backup. They’re going to meet you at Hummingbird. But you need to see this before you go,” he says, sticking his hand through the driver’s side window.
Austin takes the pages from his hand and gives them to me before starting up the car.
“Thanks, man. It’s going to take us about twenty minutes to get there, so let me know if anything changes,” I tell Adam before Austin guns the engine, throwing rocks and dirt out behind his car as he speeds out of the driveway.
“What is it?” Austin asks as he weaves in and out of traffic while I read what Adam gave me and hold on tight to the door handle.
“It looks like emails between Billy and Finn dating back to a few months ago.
August 14, 2012
From: [email protected]
The plan is in motion. Letters have been sent.
September 9, 2012
From: [email protected]
No more letters. It’s getting to be too much, and I think Eve is actually going to do something about it.
September 23, 2012
From: [email protected]
Don’t think. It’s not something you’re good at. I’ll decide when it’s too much.
October 1, 2012
From: [email protected]
What in the hell are you doing? You weren’t supposed to attack her. That wasn’t part the plan. We need to stop this right now.
October 5, 2012
From: [email protected]
I’m so tired of watching all of these fans kiss her ass. Everyone loves her when they should love me instead. We need a new plan. I don’t think what we’re doing is a good idea. It will never work.
October 8, 2012
From: [email protected]
No, we don’t need a new plan. Everything is moving along just like we want it to. Stop being such a pathetic excuse for a man and get me those blueprints.
October 12, 2012
From: [email protected]
Two weeks from today will be the day. We will bring Hummingbird Records burning to the ground with a sweet little present tied to a pole in the basement. Eve will finally get what’s coming to her when she no longer has a business to run, and you’ll finally get what you deserve when she no longer has a main attraction to flaunt.
October 21, 2012
From: [email protected]
I can’t do this. I can’t bring you Layla. I know that’s what we agreed, but I can’t do it. I can’t do that to her. We can still go through with the plan of burning the place down, but I’m not bringing Layla. I made sure to cancel the insurance policy, so Eve will get nothing and you win.
October 24, 2012
From: [email protected]
Bring her to me today, or you’ll be the one tied to the basement as it goes up in flames.
In the dark, cold room, I blink my eyes to focus, but all I can think about is the pain. It hurts to breathe and every inch of my body feels bruised and battered. Probably because it is.
Oh God! Why is this happening to me?
I try to move, to get up off of the hard floor, but my broken body isn’t cooperating. I need to find a way out of here or I won't survive this. I know with every part of my being that if I don’t leave this room, I’m going to die here. Alone.
The tears run down my face, and I can’t even move my arms to brush them away; something is holding them in place.
I slowly turn my head to the side, trying not to throw up from the pain that rushes through me with that one simple movement. I’m tied down to something, but I can’t make out what it is. The only light in the room comes from a street lamp right outside, which throws a thin ray of light through the small window close to the ceiling.
With all of the strength I can muster, I try to pull one of my arms free from whatever is holding me in place, the bindings cutting into my wrists and pain instantly shooting up my arm that's most likely broken in several places.
My scream echoes through the empty room and my throat aches from all of the screaming I’ve already done…yesterday? The day before? I’m losing track of time.
Oh God, this is the arm I play with. This is the arm that cradles the guitar to my side and the fingers that strum the notes that take me away to another place. Notes and melodies that bring me back to life and allow me be who I really am.
“Shhh, don’t