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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAL4wx7yQnSH
433Please respect copyright.PENANA5cuZ40qghG
“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?”433Please respect copyright.PENANABBO84t7m68
433Please respect copyright.PENANAiDYwrmTwSU
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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAcdjBPCPOuW
433Please respect copyright.PENANAbGaC4RbeSx
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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAX9CILEWMD7
433Please respect copyright.PENANAa5fI6YgSqu
“Kendall?”433Please respect copyright.PENANAibLA3kEdjY
433Please respect copyright.PENANAKuYrBUV7zG
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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAH6LtsR360h
433Please respect copyright.PENANAia2UBD3qiN
“What?” I asked, pushing my hair away from my eyes. “It’s none of your business what happened.”433Please respect copyright.PENANATmUhfgaTHV
433Please respect copyright.PENANAl4dOD1VvIR
“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.”433Please respect copyright.PENANAp1eCyQZED4
433Please respect copyright.PENANAmZKI4ZaWLf
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?”433Please respect copyright.PENANA7cfchMYEgE
433Please respect copyright.PENANAYGCwKrg4Ll
Surprisingly, she listened. After the door shut, I collapsed onto my bed and shut my eyes. I wished I hadn’t fallen asleep.433Please respect copyright.PENANAQVuY5rkgFU
433Please respect copyright.PENANA7QUQoDFG69
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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAXkraQUXvA0
433Please respect copyright.PENANAbwr0qiMM92
He wasn’t here.433Please respect copyright.PENANArlFbnYoD4E
433Please respect copyright.PENANAlBmD6XFWyP
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—433Please respect copyright.PENANAxZRR4Ou2pe
433Please respect copyright.PENANAIdoHl7jw8G
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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAoeHNs2GeJL
433Please respect copyright.PENANAlDMQefE5hR
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.433Please respect copyright.PENANAQzNFCUgUbR
433Please respect copyright.PENANA3I8NWVLFmv
Two rings and he answered, despite the time.433Please respect copyright.PENANAB3spSVefSy
433Please respect copyright.PENANAHF4TOypsqa
“Kendall?” His voice was groggy.433Please respect copyright.PENANAjEDC9mbsNi
433Please respect copyright.PENANAcIlWWBxuIz
“Please,” I whispered into the receiver, my breathing heavy. “Please help me, Christian.” 433Please respect copyright.PENANAzct7EaSExX