; my life depends on your decision, sky" " my mom's voice cuts through the still

ng fired reverberating

arp crack, I watched my mom'

Instead, the hollowed faces of the Andersons loomed before me. Th

le body drenched with sweat. My hand swung out, knocking

om the staircase, the early morning sun flooding into the cr

est taut with lingering fear. Tears burned the ba

y..

hoarsely, my head pounding from the drink I had y

ast night, and I reeked

ll be ready in soon ?" He called out, the soun

confusion, it probably

fast, right?" I croak

the morning Sky,

ambling to find a towel.

is in the bathroom, Sky.... I got you

s, making beeline for the bedroom, peeling my cl

e off every grime, but not the heaviness th

ng to my scalp so

ke a broken cassette, hot lone tears spilling dow

my heart as I tried to recall how my life had go

, needed to escape

o I couldn't exactly run away again, far fr

ing my eyes out. Even though the water had gone col

olted me out of the daze I was in. My he

m Ed's wardrobe, although they drowned me, I couldn't bring myself to care. Combing m

ed, gathering fear at

ing, the sweet smell of grilled beef, roasted

he chicken. " You look like shit ?" He said with

muttered, ro

ook deep breathes, bracing

i Ed," I whispered,

.. " Not now, Sky.... your whole life is at stake with

ng on the grill, my voice taut with several emotions. " I am scar

lders reassuringly as he tried to meet my gaze. " Your mom i

avier is here. Who knows what his father would do to my mom. Disappear

h, his attention back on th

h myself if something happens to my mom because of me. Ple

you need me to pay for the trip? I can bo

d to be for her treatment, but since she refused, I hadn't figured out what

ky... enough to ge

a humour

uch," I replied with a sigh, my wh

now anyway. I would book you a flight from

at stashed anywhere because all the money we made from the book tour was in

die," I said,

what,

thout you, I wouldn't

basking in his warmth for a little while, his

rying me off . "Eat up, you have

of the roasted vegetables, quinoa

revious house. I turned the store room to yours already,

do that. When I get back, I will get a ne

des, I insist Sky, Mrs Clara would want that, and besides, I owe

ing into the living room to book my f

In self-pity, a small ac

w much more of t