Page 218 of Forged in the Fire
Her spirit whispered out from the office, attempting to become one with mine.
The problem was, I had no fucking clue how to let go.
How to let go of something that made me feel halfway real for the first time in years.
FORTY-FIVE
SILAS
SIXTEEN YEARS OLD
Silas remained low,his head darting in every direction to make sure no one was looking as he switched out the backpack he’d retrieved along the bank of the river with the one that was hidden behind the industrial icemaker at the back of Keg & Creek Tavern.
Night swam around him, the drone of the country music playing from a jukebox inside seeping through the wooden walls, his thundering heart louder than anything.
It’s the way it always was.
His heart beating so hard that he thought it would explode.
He switched out the backpacks then ducked back out into the cover of the forest. Racing like he was trying to outrun the silvered rays of moonlight that speared down through the leaves.
Trying to stay in the shadows and out of sight as he headed back toward the river.
His breaths were rattled gusts as he finally made it back to the drop site, and he snatched the thick envelope stuffed with the cash he’d split with his dad and shoved it into his back pocket before he got onto his knees and pulled back the branches that covered the hole.
Only he froze when he felt the disturbed energy crash over him from behind. Just in the distance, stepping out from behind the trees.
Terror ridged his spine, and he tentatively shifted to peek over his shoulder.
His stomach dropped when he saw who it was.
“What are you doing?” His mother’s face was pinched in hurt and disgust, and she wrung her fingers as she took another step toward him.
“I…” His mouth was too dry to force the lie from his tongue.
“I didn’t want to believe it. But all that money kept coming in.” She choked it, not even waiting for a response or admission from him since she’d already extricated the truth.
“Mom,” he finally managed, but she was shucking off the shock, her demeanor shifting to anger and desperation as she started to rush for him.
Her attention whipped in every direction before she demanded, “Put it down right now, Silas. I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but this ends right now. Where is he?”
She looked around again.
“I don’t?—”
“Don’t you dare lie to me. I’ve had plenty of them already.” Disappointment gushed out.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Silas choked.
“You didn’t have a choice? You always have a choice, Silas, and I know you were trying to make the right one, but this is the worst one you could have made. We don’tstoopto this.”
She snatched the bag from his hold and shook it in his face. “He put you up to this, didn’t he?”
Silas blinked, shuffled on his feet, unsure of what he should give her.
“I just wanted to help. You work so hard, and I heard that the rent was late. I had to do something.”
She gave a harsh shake of her head. “But not this. Not this, Silas. Please.” She’d begun to beg, the horror of what he’d gotten involved in finally catching up to her.
