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.429Please respect copyright.PENANAi8HcsRm9pP
429Please respect copyright.PENANAvNpFPO2svM
“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?”429Please respect copyright.PENANAKD7EdVzVEU
429Please respect copyright.PENANA4tqxct3apT
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.429Please respect copyright.PENANAKqO2qwzOfI
429Please respect copyright.PENANAdMICrMjHd9
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.429Please respect copyright.PENANAFJfEwpUfNy
429Please respect copyright.PENANAGsO8Cdyqbn
“Kendall?”429Please respect copyright.PENANAwfnlBaxGTT
429Please respect copyright.PENANAETnWRnsG3r
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.429Please respect copyright.PENANAV2o7aA9FBv
429Please respect copyright.PENANAI9cwCSQyQy
“What?” I asked, pushing my hair away from my eyes. “It’s none of your business what happened.”429Please respect copyright.PENANANKGxWlssH9
429Please respect copyright.PENANA1Bg6maQ8Yj
“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.”429Please respect copyright.PENANAFELXAxYYQs
429Please respect copyright.PENANAkPEOA8maxS
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?”429Please respect copyright.PENANANXaDp8Buif
429Please respect copyright.PENANAttokUoyJ7C
Surprisingly, she listened. After the door shut, I collapsed onto my bed and shut my eyes. I wished I hadn’t fallen asleep.429Please respect copyright.PENANAImJmFdfftb
429Please respect copyright.PENANAa7TR1Tc71d
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.429Please respect copyright.PENANAe2IBLrD2RZ
429Please respect copyright.PENANAkqplqxPyFV
He wasn’t here.429Please respect copyright.PENANAFFlMXnyHrZ
429Please respect copyright.PENANAxo6FuQGp6b
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—429Please respect copyright.PENANAC5UoNZszBn
429Please respect copyright.PENANA93eIvMkEdy
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.429Please respect copyright.PENANA9iBTxcbOEn
429Please respect copyright.PENANAlKSN6Xiv9j
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.429Please respect copyright.PENANAowC2YY9Asb
429Please respect copyright.PENANAMnJCABVqRe
Two rings and he answered, despite the time.429Please respect copyright.PENANAOMq9dbk3Bm
429Please respect copyright.PENANADhWoZ052ZT
“Kendall?” His voice was groggy.429Please respect copyright.PENANAJZ4eIej93v
429Please respect copyright.PENANAVndM7iU6O6
“Please,” I whispered into the receiver, my breathing heavy. “Please help me, Christian.” 429Please respect copyright.PENANAuH6ssyFsa5