All The Pretty Ghosts (The Never Series Book 1) Jamie Campbell (best life changing books .TXT) 📖

I tested the rope, seeing if there was any give. My feet were about half a foot apart, the slack might allow me to walk slowly. Or hop. I could probably hop quite fast if my life depended on it.

My hands were another matter. My wrists were pushed together, all I could do was entwine my own fingers. I couldn’t reach the rope enough to work the knots. I came to the same conclusion about the rope around my chest. Straining against those only guaranteed my lungs a painful experience.

Movement at the stairs caught my eye, making my head shoot up. Oliver had made it. He wasn’t tied up and he wasn’t followed. He had come to save me, just like I thought he would.

He would be able to get me out of the ropes in no time. Then it would only be a matter of running. If he had made it up the stairs, the boys couldn’t be watching it too closely. Hope filled me, giving me the boost I really needed.

The moment Oliver saw me, he raced over. One look at the ropes and his hands reached toward me.

And then stopped.

Footsteps were stomping up the stairs.

“Hide,” I whispered urgently.

Oliver struggled between staying with me and hiding to save himself as his eyes darted everywhere. But he couldn’t stay with me, doing so would ensure both our deaths.

“Hurry,” I said, nodding toward the mess at the side. “We can’t both get caught.”

He wasn’t happy about it, but he went anyway. Diving behind a pile of junk, he made it just in time before Taz reached the top of the stairs.

Taz was alone. But his hands weren’t empty.

In one was a can of kerosene.

In the other was a lighter.

“Jet said you were hot, so I thought I’d put it to the test,” he said, taking the cap off the can. “It’s about to get really hot up here.”

He let out a belly-shaking laugh as he started pouring kerosene on the floor. He covered the junk – including the pile Oliver was hiding behind.

As he moved, he whistled a tune to himself. I didn’t recognize it, I was too busy freaking out. My time limit on escaping was quickly counting down and I still didn’t have a plan.

I couldn’t see Oliver without making it obvious I was looking at him so I forced myself to fix my gaze forwards. His movements would occasionally appear in my periphery but I didn’t dare turn around for a better look.

Taz returned to stand in front of me. “Do you smell gas?” He laughed like he had said the most hilarious thing in the world. His contempt disgusted me.

“I want to speak with Jet,” I said. It had worked for me with the mole people, I had to take my chance again.

“Jet’s not here. Are you blind as well as stupid?”

“I’m his property, you can’t do anything to me unless he says so.” I was glad I didn’t see Oliver’s reaction to that statement. I didn’t want him to think Jet had any claim on me. But, right now, I would say anything to get out of this room alive.

My comment spurred Taz into a brand new fit of laughter. “His property? Who do you think you are? I’ve got news for ya, girly, you’re nothing. And I don’t give a shit what Jet thinks about it.”

“He’s your leader, your boss.”

He leaned down until our noses were almost touching. Every inch of my body wanted to turn away from him but I forced myself to stay still.

I would not show weakness.

“Nobody is the boss of me,” he snarled, his caustic breath infiltrating my nostrils. “If I want to burn you alive, I’m gonna burn you alive. Got it?”

I wasn’t going to answer.

I couldn’t answer.

His open hand collided with my cheek as the slap forced my head to the side. In that second, I caught a glimpse of Oliver. His mouth was set in a grimace, his eyes full of hatred for my tormentor.

“Got it?” he yelled at me again. The rage was barely being contained within him. How Jet could be friends with someone like this told me a lot about the guy. If there was any chance of him helping me with the adults, they were certainly completely quashed now.

He raised his hand, ready to strike again. I quickly replied. “I’ve got it.”

“Good.” His lips slithered into a smile, showing me all his yellowed teeth. “Now, let’s get on with the show. I’ve always wanted to see what it looks like when someone burns to death.”

Taz took a step back again, playing with the lid of his Zippo lighter. His eyes were crazed as they studied me. He was relishing every moment of my torture.

For lack of any other option, my mouth started running. “Please don’t do this. You can let me go and just tell everyone you killed me. I will disappear, they’d never know any different.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because you don’t really want to kill me.” Except, he really did. “I’m a hassle. Burning me will cause this entire building to come down and you need the stuff inside. You don’t want to explain to everyone what happened, that you lost your temper.”

He wasn’t buying any of it. Not that I really expected him to. Taz wasn’t the kind of guy that cared about consequences for his actions. He did things first and then dealt with whatever resulted.

“No deal, girly,” he finally replied. He flicked the lighter and the flame came alive. “Have a nice death.”

He held a rag over the lighter and it quickly caught alight. He dropped it on the floor and hurried to the stairs. He stood, taking one last look at me as the flames suddenly hit