cer'

h past Vincent, face twi

step deliberate, unhurried. "Not in front of me. No

eyes was pure. Bla

f what we would find inside that apartment: an empty room, maybe a planted prop or two, and whatever sad accomplice her

to see m

close enough to feel the heat of her a

rt me. It was in the clench of her jaw, the tension in her

ce was calm but firm.

hought she might

s too stubborn for that-but a strategic retreat. A re

stiff, her eyes fixed straight ahead, st

let her

hair. I yanked her head back, hard enough that she

you can waste my time with whatever little stunt you've prepared in there,

cking. "Please-let go-my mother is really in th

he pain, letting her understand exactly how little c

nd flying to her scalp, her

ket and drew the gun

nds

st enough to catch a glimpse of the weapon,

ow your fuck

so violently I could see

and pressed the muzzl

ov

whispered, voice cracking. But she

essed to her back, close enough that she could feel the cold metal through the thin fabric of her dress.

peration seeping from every corner. I couldn't imagine anyone choosing to live here-but

r, listened for a moment, then sho

pressing the gun harder against her s

. She just closed

b, pushed the door ope

d her f

oked older than I was, a coffee table covered in pill bottles and medical

orn carpet, angled toward the window as if som

flew to h

came out broken, panicked. "Sh

Just slightly. The first unwa

ead toward th

hair, thin limbs. She was on her side, one arm stretched

om

and animal, and she was running before I could stop her, dropping to

hear me? Mom,

hered the woman into her arms. The woman's face was pale

said, her voice high and frantic.

first time, I saw something

tion and fear

e..." The old

n the roo

call Ruby-m

ompletel

t my wife was trying to lift t

here, I'm so s

member givi

nt. He

empty wheelchair. The smell hit me then-urine, sharp and unmistakable. She had wet hersel

er room and came back with a blister pack of pills and a glass of wat

ase. Just a litt

ing. "I told you not to leave. I told you... something bad..." She

treaming down her face as she presse

. I'm here. I'm no

ound Ruby's hair,

rl... my sw

r daughter and landed on me and Vincent

he whispered

ed in s

s woman looked at her-like she was the entire reason s

here by the wrist, the one whose thr

not be

y. The woman in the wheelchair immediately started crying for her to come back. A weak, despe

about

her on

s this? What fucking game are you playing? You think I'm going to

me with red, furious eyes and some

und you,"

s stoppe

ha

ion, the photographs, the smell of sickness and despair. "Take a good look at where y

my mouth.

cCartney was. Because this-" she gestured at her mother, at the apartment, at everything "-this is not a game. Th

urged through m

sed m

os

ce cut throug

small bookshelf in the corner. He was holding something-

ed to s