When I was finally able to relax, my mother had come into my room without knocking and sat on my bed. She looked at me, took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her pocket, and lit one. I watched the smoke twirl and then fade into the air before she spoke.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhTSns6uBC
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“I just got off the phone with Dr. Monroe. He didn’t tell me much; just that he couldn’t see you anymore. What happened?”404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNMBOj6oDO
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU33kgx1mZL
To the untrained ears, her question sounded normal. But I knew what she was asking. Things were never anyone else’s fault, always mine. She would tell me my dad drank because I was such an awful child, but I didn’t believe that. He drank because he turned into an asshole and wanted to hurt his family.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTihHLpdzMw
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHL59x5OPl
Sliding off the bed, I went to the window and stared out into the night. Somewhere, a car horn blared and tires screeched. I wondered if the person had gotten into a car accident. That one thought took me away from what was happening now, and it was enough.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSuoSMyVpe
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“Kendall?”404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t5pP1XlP0
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZSoi9BJO7
Her voice had called me back, away from the darkness, and I turned around to face my mother. She looked tired, almost like her being near me was physically exhausting.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfxUg2G99K
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSER04gIaT2
“What?” I asked, pushing my hair away from my eyes. “It’s none of your business what happened.”404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijKW6Ewrk2
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30Ck2mTc4M
“I’m going to pay for another doctor to tell you there’s nothing wrong with you, so I have a right to know what happened with this one.”404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGBGJvFFas
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapzl1Yban0
I couldn’t tell her. There was no way she would believe me. I bit down on my cheek and said, “I don’t want to talk about this now. I’m tired. Can you please get out?”404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qIEz8fZCQ
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jgqdhCg1e
Surprisingly, she listened. After the door shut, I collapsed onto my bed and shut my eyes. I wished I hadn’t fallen asleep.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCMyuST27V
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Something about this was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I stood with my hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it. When I did and it opened easily, there was no one in it, just a desk, papers covering it, and a lamp.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTyawBXvna
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He wasn’t here.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjew64Iy6h
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHxAERm2o2
Backing out of the room, I wheeled around to face him. He was standing against the wall, his eyes frightened. He went to ask me what I was doing here, why I was doing this, why—404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8N0zPFNxWc
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It didn’t matter anymore as I pulled out the gun and shot two rounds into his chest. I watched his body slam back, blood spluttering from his wounds. He was dead before I stepped over him and out into the night.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqRzEeag3E
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1H5HB3kzal
My eyes snapped open to meet the darkness and I sat up. For a moment, I had no idea where I was, but then it all came flooding back. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and dialed the only number I could think of.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrbhFtCDgB
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Two rings and he answered, despite the time.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkDPepsFg9
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tWQuWXSIG
“Kendall?” His voice was groggy.404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajriRHZG0u
404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCVcShsRBz
“Please,” I whispered into the receiver, my breathing heavy. “Please help me, Christian.” 404Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNTmXmsB0b
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