The Prison Project (by Bethany Donaghy) novel Chapter 162

Chapter 162

Margot’s POV

470

The silence after Sarah’s words was beginning to grow more awkward by the minute, as I opened and closed my mouth to find the right words…

I wish him dead…

The machines beside her continued their steady rhythm, indifferent to the gravity of what she’d just said. A soft beep. A faint hum. Life

moving forward whether we were ready for it or not.

Cara and I exchanged a look.

Not panic.

Not fear.

Something worse.

Truth.

Sarah’s fingers were still wrapped weakly around mine, her skin warm, real, alive, and my chest tightened painfully at the thought that the man who had nearly taken that from her was already gone.

She didn’t even know.

And suddenly it felt wrong that she didn’t.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “Sarah…” I started, then stopped. My voice sounded too fragile. Too careful.

Cara shifted closer to the bed, wiping at her cheeks. Her usual sharpness was gone, replaced by something softer and more protective. She nodded once at me, subtle but clear.

We can’t leave her in the dark.

I leaned in closer, lowering my voice like the walls themselves might be listening. “There’s… something we need to tell you.”

Sarah frowned slightly, confusion creasing her bruised brow. “Oh no, what’s happened? Did he hurt someone else too? You’re scaring me,” she murmured out, attempting to sit up again but cringing.

My heart cracked a little at the sight of her panic.

1/5

A Wed, 080

Chapter 162

1 gap tightened serably amund my fingers Just as it, in kendte whatever it.”

But she didn’t woord rum luring

Cara inhaled deeply, standing hersell Newman win the coming back to but we **** *gin, she wal

Karah blinked ants

wire.

What do you mean? Her voice was hoarse, uncertain on what we were trying to say.

I felt my puler hammer in my ears. He’s… he’s dead now, Sarah/

The words hung there, suspended between us.

Sarah stared up at the ceiling for a long moment, her breathing falling shallow. I thought terrifyingly that maybe she hadn’t understood what we’d just said, that she’d blocked it out.

Then her lips parted….

“He’s… dead?” she whispered.

Cara nodded slowly. “Yes.”

More silence again.

Longer this time.

Sarah’s eyes flickered, unfocused, like she was replaying something only she could see. Her chest rose sharply, then fell, breath catching

“Oh,” she said quietly.

That was it.

No gasp.

No scream.

No tears.

2/5

8:58 Wed, Dec 31

Chapter 162

Just that single word

I squeezed her hand harder, fear crawling up my spine. Sarah? Are you okay?”

Her mouth twitched. Not quite a smile. Not quite a grimace. ‘I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about it, he was a bad man.” She

shrugged a little..

“That’s okay,” Cara said immediately. “You don’t have to know.”

Sarah swallowed. “But how did it happen?”

I hesitated.

Words mattered here. Every one of them.

I couldn’t admit that Coban done it, at least not yet.

Cara shared a look with me, and we knew the only way forward was to dance around the truth…

“The guards say it was deliberate,” I said carefully. “An inmate altercation, somebody must’ve punished him when no one was around…”

That wasn’t a lie.

Just not the whole truth…

Sarah let out a shaky breath, nodding a little. “So he didn’t… he really didn’t get away with it? With what he done to me…”

“No,” Cara said firmly. “He didn’t.”

Her shoulders trembled then, the delayed reaction finally breaking through. A quiet sob slipped free before she could stop it, and I leaned in instantly, pressing my forehead to her arm.

“It’s all over,” I whispered. “He can never hurt you again. Or anyone. You’ve made it out of this alive…”

Sarah’s fingers clenched in the blanket. “I kept thinking,” she said, voice cracking, “that when I woke up… he’d still be out there. That I’d have to see him again. Hear his voice. That he’d come to finish what he’d started…”

“You wont ever have to see him again,” Cara promised. “Ever.”

Tears finally spilled from Sarah’s eyes, slow and silent, tracking down bruised skin. Not the frantic kind. Not hysterical.

Relief.

Raw. Exhausting. Earned.

3/5

31

8:58 Wed, Dec 31

Chapter 163

text that Magte wind.

sued his hand harder, fer crawling on my spine Sarah? Are you a

Hes math twitched. Not quite a smile. Not quite a grimace. 1 tont know how I’m supposed to feel about it, he was a bad man,” she

shmered a le

That’s okay Cars said immediately. You don’t have to know.”

Sarah swallowed. “But how did it happen?‘

1 hesitated.

Words mattered here. Every one of them.

I couldn’t admit that Coban done it, at least not yet.

Cara shared a look with me, and we knew the only way forward was to dance around the truth…

The guards say it was deliberate,” I said carefully. “An inmate altercation, somebody must’ve punished him when no one was around…”

That wasn’t a lie.

Just not the whole truth…

Sarah let out a shaky breath, nodding a little. “So he didn’t… he really didn’t get away with it? With what he done to me…”

“No,” Cara said firmly. “He didn’t.”

Her shoulders trembled then, the delayed reaction finally breaking through. A quiet sob slipped free before she could stop it, and I leaned in instantly, pressing my forehead to her arm.

“It’s all over,” I whispered. “He can never hurt you again. Or anyone. You’ve made it out of this alive…”

Sarah’s fingers clenched in the blanket. “I kept thinking,” she said, voice cracking, “that when I woke up… he’d still be out there. That I’d have to see him again. Hear his voice. That he’d come to finish what he’d started…”

“You wont ever have to see him again,” Cara promised. “Ever.”

Tears finally spilled from Sarah’s eyes, slow and silent, tracking down bruised skin. Not the frantic kind. Not hysterical.

Relief.

Raw. Exhausting. Earned.

3/5

tus fort worth you

Terms A Begon than 1

The Caltech

Cam’s willen in the gym.

Blind on contents and deafs made behind closed doors.

Of the ways he could’ve killed Newman with his own two hands..

I was more scared that id never see you again… I avoid her initial question, “But Newman was a bad seed right from that start..

confirm gently

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify