Re-Read: Chapter Thirty Two- Ambushed

"Knock, knock."

Leaving the hospital, Wanda goes to Jamie and Jared's room the retrieve her clothes. In the room, Jamie is curled into a tight ball in the corner of the mattress as Ian lays sprawled out on the rest of the bed. It takes some effort, but Wanda is able to squelch her laughter and hurry down the hall without disturbing them. Though she trusts Doc to wait for her, Wanda still hurries to the bathing room. As she moves through the caves, Wanda thinks she hears something behind her, but does not see anyone trailing behind. Knowing others would wake soon, Wanda begins bathing herself and washing her clothes. Wanda dresses and as she puts on her tennis shoes, she hears someone call "Knock, knock" from the dark entry. Thinking she recognizes the voice, Wanda returns a greeting to Ian, but the response is not a friendly one. 

"Ian's still sleeping," Ian's voice answered. "I'm sure that won't last forever, though, so we'd best get on with this."

Wanda noticed the similarities in Ian and Kyle's appearances and voices when she first arrived, but had forgotten during Kyle's absence. Frozen in place, Melanie calls for her to keep quiet and listen, which Wanda obliges. Melanie then orders Wanda to grab a rock. Wanda does not want to cause anyone harm and in her desperation, she tries to let Melanie out and allow her to take control. Wanda starts towards the exit as Melanie struggles to break through. They hear sounds around the room, but are unable to discern Kyle's location. When she throws a handful of pebbles against the wall, Kyle moves towards the noise as Wanda moves quietly against the wall. When she is almost to the exit, Wanda hears splashes of water as Kyle wades through the pool to reach her. Melanie yells for her to run, but she hesitates a moment too long and Kyle's fingers grab her ankle and then her shoe. She is able to kick off her sneaker and scramble away from him, but he continues to grab for her. Breaking free, she heads to the exit, but is taken down by a rock Kyle throws at her leg and tackles her to the ground. Under Melanie's direction, Wanda lets out a shriek, but Kyle's large hand silences her. 



Rolling her closer to the water, Kyle holds her underwater. Her body reacts strongly and Kyle loosens his grip enough that she is able to pull herself up enough. He tries to put her under again, but is not successful. Instead, he yanks her up and carries her over to the nearest sinkhole. 

"He was going to throw me into the dark, hot hole and let the boiling water pull me into the ground as it burned me."

When she is unable to stop him, Wanda wraps herself around him, thinking if she was going into the black river, so was he. Wanda's thoughts mix with Melanie's as they think about Jamie, Ian, Doc, Jeb, and Jared; no one would know what happened to her. Kyle jumps up and down to untangle Wanda from him, but his actions bring about another result. A cracking sound fills the cave as the rocks crumble beneath them. 

"A piece of the floor disappeared from under his heel, and he went down with a thud. My weight pushed him back hard, and his head smacked sharply against a stone pillar. His arms fell away from me, limp."

Wanda calls out to Kyle, who is under her, but gets no response. Melanie tells her to get off of him since they are too heavy together. Following Melanie's instructions, Wanda climbs over his unconscious body and moves onto solid ground. When she is safe, Wanda heads to the exit, but there is another crack and more rock falls from under Kyle. Wanda realizes he is going to fall, but Melanie cannot feel bad about this. 

"If he falls, he can't kill us, Wanda. If he doesn't fall, he will."

Wanda knows that if Kyle falls she would be safe, that no one in the caves would ever hurt her again. Melanie begs her to walk away as more rock falls into the river. Looking back, Kyle's resemblance to Ian is too much and Wanda crawls back over to him. She tries to pull him up, but is unable to move him and shifting his weight breaks the floor. When Kyle begins to fall, Wanda manages to pin him as she screams for help.