Chapter 4

My heart sank. Abigail had heard it too.

We exchanged a look. She finally tucked her ID card close against her body, then took my hand. "Let's go."

This time, she was the one who took hold of me first.

We had barely ducked into the cornfield when a long string of firecrackers went off behind us, so loud it sent the birds in the field flapping into the air.

Abigail stopped short. She knew what it meant: the groom's party was back.

In my last life, it wasn't long after these firecrackers went off that Dad and the others found her in the haystack.

I pulled her down into a crouch. "Don't take the path between the fields. They'll see us."

The corn had already grown taller than my head. Even from a whole field away, I could still hear the celebration in the yard.

Someone was shouting, "The groom's here! Hurry up and pour the drinks! We can't be late for the ceremony!"

Little kids were chasing the grown-ups around, begging for candy.

My sister's grip suddenly tightened. I remembered the two pieces of candy in my pocket too. In my last life, I'd happily called everyone over just to get them.

I didn't dare keep thinking about it. I tugged her onward through the corn.

We hadn't gone far before she stumbled. When I turned around, I finally noticed the ring of black-and-blue bruises around her right wrist. The rope had done that last night.

Back then, Mom had told me, "Every girl makes a fuss before her wedding. Once she's married, she'll understand her parents only want what's best for her."

And I'd actually believed it. When my sister cried, I'd even offered her a piece of wedding candy. Thinking about it now, the sweetness of that candy turned my stomach sour.

Soon, someone shouted in the distance, "Nothing on the east side! Nobody on the bridge either!"

Then one of the relatives hollered, "Everybody pitch in and look! We can't afford to delay the ceremony!"

Someone else immediately called back, "The Wrights already put down eighteen grand. You think this wedding's not happening today?"

My sister went pale.

I pulled her toward the edge of the field.

Everyone who'd come for the feast today claimed they were here to celebrate. But all it would take was one word from Dad, and they'd block every road she had.

We climbed down into the abandoned irrigation ditch. It had been dry for years, and the two of us ran west, bent low.

My sister had already tried to run once last night, and her heels had been rubbed raw. Partway down the ditch, her legs gave out and she sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

I quickly held her up. "Abby, just hang on a little longer. The old brick kiln is right at the end of the ditch."

As long as we got past the kiln, we could head for the highway.

Right then, the loudspeaker at the wedding feast blared to life. A shriek of static drowned out the firecrackers, and Dad's voice carried across the entire field.

"Attention, everybody! Abigail's thrown another tantrum and run off!

"The groom's cars are already in the yard, and we're about to miss the ceremony. Anyone who sees her, help stop her!

"She took Aaron with her too! Whoever spots him, bring him straight back to me! Don't hurt the boy!

"If Abigail won't listen, hold her down. Don't let her get to the bus station!"

For a moment, I couldn't even speak.

In my last life, Dad said my sister only cared about money and turned her nose up at being poor. Then after she died, he said she'd had a nasty temper and couldn't even behave herself in her in-laws' home.

So that was how it worked. As long as Dad spoke first, my sister would always end up the one in the wrong.

Above the ditch, motorcycles roared to life.

Someone shouted, "Get Freddy over to the highway! The Wrights' people are covering the bus station! A few of you women go ask around at her classmates' houses!"

And then there was Mom.

I heard her above us, her voice urgent. "Bring Aaron back to me first! Those two have been close since they were little. As long as I've got Aaron, I don't believe Abigail won't come back for her brother!"