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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0zBveJvC9
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6DpgOmes6
“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?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mEhYLdHK9
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhkrkcPpKM
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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDR3lRvJ8Qg
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3iXsvNFEG
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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtINqU5NAIJ
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQiDjJC4sa
“Kendall?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyOoc418jP
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJzat52QSq
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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16k8N2U9gZ
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyquOglZSaF
“What?” I asked, pushing my hair away from my eyes. “It’s none of your business what happened.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSZPT3d9h6
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2BBMrtaES
“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.”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLxWWejppB
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMNOjxhYNf
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?”425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPtLTPRwlZ
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1YxhxMlIP
Surprisingly, she listened. After the door shut, I collapsed onto my bed and shut my eyes. I wished I hadn’t fallen asleep.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimbTXC8Itq
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfTX9RKAFE
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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xQWYcUDLS
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuymm00ThQ
He wasn’t here.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXgnp2CI8U
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPylja4Kbj
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—425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfVD75FmsK
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPUFv6ClgQ
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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2rBOazn1i
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbgXeUaHpT
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.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY7QprVSzM
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNR6a164eP
Two rings and he answered, despite the time.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18mgz2qG4l
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AohgBVR6f
“Kendall?” His voice was groggy.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAAv6sNseQ
425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElDn12Wl0g
“Please,” I whispered into the receiver, my breathing heavy. “Please help me, Christian.” 425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOCjd9vxKS
Penana
search
Loginarrow_drop_down
Registerarrow_drop_down
