The Water

"I leave deciding what's right and wrong to the rev."

"You know who I am, don't you? You were with Miss Brigham when she found me. If Reverend Crane's going to kill me anyway, couldn't you tell me?" She wiggled her hips in his grasp enough to get an inch closer to the knife. Another inch and she could reach the hilt.

"You were someone sticking her nose in other people's business. For all the trouble you've caused me I should have slit your throat when I had the chance. The rev thought he could tame you. I knew better," Pryde said, saying more than she ever remembered hearing before. As he spoke, she wiggled closer to the knife until her fingers wrapped around the hilt.

She pulled the knife from its hilt and in one fluid motion stabbed it into Pryde's back. He howled in pain and then pitched her into a wall. The knife flew from her hand, disappearing over the path and into the river below. Samantha tried to get up, but couldn't on her ankle. She crawled up the path as fast as possible until Pryde seized her by the injured ankle. Samantha screamed as he squeezed the ankle until she heard bones crack.

Pryde grabbed her by the neck and raised her high into the air so that her head brushed against the roof of the cavern. "I ought to kill you right now," he said. Samantha felt lightheaded, stars exploding before her eyes as Pryde cut off the air to her lungs. He hurled her against the wall again and then stomped down to where Prudence lay. "But I think I'll kill the pig first."