Shatter-Me-PDF-Shatter-Me-Series-Shatter-Me-Shatter-Me-1-Tahereh-Mafi (1)

“Absolutely amazing,” Warner sighs through the speakers,
and I realize I was right. He must be watching through a 2-
way mirror. “Brilliant, love. I’m thoroughly impressed.”
I’m too desperate to be able to focus on Warner right now.
I have no idea how long this sick game is going to last, and I
need to lessen the amount of skin I’m exposing to this little
boy’s body.
My skimpy outfit makes so much sense now.
I rearrange him in my arms and manage to grab hold of his
diaper. I’m holding him up with the palm of my hand. I’m
desperate to believe I couldn’t have touched him long
enough to cause serious damage.
He hiccups once; his body quivers back to life.
I could cry from happiness.
But then the screams start back up again, no longer cries
of torture but of fear. He’s desperate to get away from me
and I’m losing my grip, my wrist nearly breaking from the
effort. I don’t dare remove his blindfold. I’d rather die than
allow him to see this space, to see my face.
I clench my jaw so fast I’m afraid I’m going to break my
teeth. If I put him down, he’ll start running. And if he starts
running, he’s finished. I have to keep holding on.
The roar of an old mechanical wheeze revives my heart.
The spikes slip back into the ground, one by one until
they’ve all disappeared. The room is harmless again so
swiftly I fear I may have imagined the danger. I drop the boy
back onto the floor and bite down on my lip to swallow the
pain welling in my wrist.
The child starts running and accidentally bumps my bare
legs.
He screams and shudders and falls to the floor, curled up
into himself, sobbing until I consider destroying myself,
ridding myself of this world. Tears are streaming fast down
my face and I want nothing more than to reach out to him
and help him, hug him close, kiss his beautiful cheeks and
tell him I’ll take care of him forever, that we’ll run away