“Jesus!”
She kept moving.
Finally, the narrow corridor opened up to a cavern about thirty feet wide by fifteen feet high. She moved on autopilot, walking until the light behind her was almost gone and she could hardly make out the path or the rock formations ahead.
An imperceptible shift in the air made her pause.
“Sam?”
’Sam… Sam… Sam…’ the cave mocked.
Something stirred in the shadows.
“Sam? It’s Mommy!”
The ground began to vibrate and a frigid current of air made her shiver. Before she knew what was happening, a black mass swarmed toward her. She screamed and ran towards the light.
Bats—hundreds of them—whirred past her, scratching her face, desperate to escape the cave. One flew into her hair. She swatted at it, shrieking and crying at the same time. Covering her head, she sank into the mud and pressed her body against the wall. When the bats were gone, she stood shakily and was about to continue on her way when she heard a soft murmur.
Voices. And they were coming closer.
Two shapes emerged from the depths of the cave.
“Hello?” she said softly.
With a whimper, a small body flung itself at her.
She touched a cool shaved head. Could it be? “Sam?”
There was a shudder, then quiet sobs. Recognizable sobs.
It was Sam.
“Oh my God,” she cried, stroking his head. “You’re alive.”
Sobbing with relief, she rocked him in her arms. “I found you, Sam. Mommy found you.”
She leaned back and studied him. His skin was clammy, caked in mud. She stroked his dirty face. He raised his eyes and the terror she saw there made her heart stop beating.
“You’re safe, honey. Mommy’s here.”
“Are you taking us home?” a girl said from the shadows.
Sadie held out a hand. “Cortnie.”
“Ashley,” the girl said, shuffling closer. “Father said no one can call me by my old name.”
Sadie’s eyes swam with tears. “He’s wrong. Your name is Cortnie Bornyk. And your real dad is waiting for you.”
Cortnie let out a sob. “I want my daddy, not that other man.”
Sadie grabbed the girl, hugged her close. “It’s okay, Cortnie. That man can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Father wanted us to go to sleep, with the others.”
Sadie cringed at the girl’s words and stood up quickly. A little too quickly. I have to get them out of here. Before I pass out.
“Come on,” she said.
Cortnie took Sam’s hand, but neither of them moved.
“Sam, Cortnie,” Sadie said softly. “Let’s go home.”
She was relieved when they moved toward her, and she led them to the mouth of the cave. A few feet from daylight, her head started pounding. She leaned against the wall.
Just for a moment, until I catch my breath.
In the muted light, she caught sight of Sam’s muddy pajamas and his bloody, bandaged hand. He held it close to his chest and she didn’t want to think of what lay beneath the strips of cloth.
Then she saw the yellow happy face on Cortnie’s nightgown.
“You’re the girl I saw in the woods.”
Cortnie looked at the ground. “I was trying to get away. I’m sorry Father hurt you.”
“I know.”
Sadie’s vision blurred and she closed her eyes.
“Mommy, can we go now?”
“Yes, honey,” she said, fighting another dizzy spell.
A few steps from daylight, she lurched to a stop, turned and gaped at Sam. “D-Did you say something?”
His sapphire eyes blinked. Then he signed I love you, Mom.
She tried to smile, but her face hurt. She was imagining things again. She knew she was in rough shape. Too much blood loss, combined with being battered and bruised.
She shook her head. Don’t think about that now.
She was running out of time… and energy. She could have kicked herself for being so stubborn. For coming to the cave alone.
“Follow me,” she said as she stepped out into the light.
The sun’s rays bouncing off gray rock blinded her. Then she saw something wonderful. Jay was standing off to one side of the entrance, a flashlight in his hand.
She moved away from the mouth of the cave. “Jay!”
“I was just coming in after you,” he said, visibly relieved.
“How…?” Her eyes trailed upward. “Ah, the helicopter.”
“That’s twice,” he said, puffing out his chest. “In one day.”
“There may be hope for you yet.” She swayed and let out a moan.
“Sadie, are you all—” Jay noticed the children standing in the cave entrance. “Jesus Christ, Sadie! You were right all along.”
“A mother knows,” was all she could manage.
After that, everything happened in such a flurry of activity that she had to hold onto Jay for support. The droning black blot in the sky above them lowered a harness and she watched as the children were lifted to safety. Then she was hauled up into the air.
Once aboard the helicopter, a paramedic unfastened the harness and she collapsed in the seat beside Sam, emotionally and physically drained. She closed her eyes and heaved a sigh as small hands lovingly stroked her face. She was losing consciousness, until she heard the click of her seatbelt.
“Thanks, honey,” she said, fighting to open her eyes.
Sam smiled—thumbs up—and said, “Snug as a bug.”
Sadie’s jaw dropped in shock. “You can talk.”
She recalled Marina words—three gifts—and looked at Sam and Cortnie. “One, two… and now this.”
She reached for her son’s hand. “I love you, Sam.”
“I love you too, Mommy,” he said.
Then a winged black bird swept them away.
Sadie was feeling better by the time Jay wheeled her into the University of Alberta Hospital. The first person she saw was Matthew. He was pacing in the waiting room, and the second he saw her, his eyes brightened.
“Sadie! Are you okay?”
“I’m great.”
“You, uh, don’t look great.”
She made a face. “Gee, thanks.”
“The police told me to come to the hospital, but I didn’t know why. I thought maybe… well… you know.”
She smiled tearfully. “We brought you a gift.”
Matthew’s puzzled gaze flickered toward Jay. Sadie knew the exact second that he noticed his daughter standing behind the detective.
“Cortnie,” he said, his voice raw with emotion.
The girl stared up at him, her lower lip quivering. “Daddy?”
Sadie watched Matthew swing Cortnie up into his arms and hold her so tightly that she was sure he’d never let her go. Blinking back tears, she smiled when Sam slipped his warm hand in hers.
She’d never let go either.
epilogue
Sadie paced anxiously on the front porch of the townhouse. It had been ten days since she had shot and killed The Fog, and brought Sam and Cortnie home. Life was slowly returning to normal, although she knew it would never be quite the same.
Leah had rushed to the hospital as soon as she’d heard. It had been difficult and awkward at first, but Sadie realized that the past had its place. In the past. Right now, she desperately needed a friend, and Leah was her best friend, her soul sister, a piece of her heart.
Leah didn’t recall much about the night she had slept with Philip. She’d been too drunk. However, she did remember that Sam had walked in on them. Philip had grabbed Sam by the arm and threatened that Sadie would leave if he ever said a word. That was why Sam had refused to speak. In a way, he had been held hostage by his own father—a more subtle version of Stockholm syndrome. Sadie was still working on forgiving Philip, but that would take time.