Chapter 10 — The Hand

“Who?” Inmaculada demanded.

“Who will hurt us?”

Soledad’s eyes went past her, to the dark mouth of the passage behind her, and she could not make herself say the name.

And then, from the blackness, a hand came out — a man’s hand, filthy, fast — and closed on Soledad’s shoulder and hauled her backward toward the opening.

Amparo moved before Inmaculada could.

She snatched the heavy wooden bench from beside the bed and jammed it into the gap so the wall could not close, and Inmaculada seized Soledad’s arm and pulled against the shadow with everything she had.