a

ough her body, dragging her limbs down, fogging her mind. She wante

ing wa

ry room, when the doctor-the doctor she trusted to brin

r had said. But instead of relief, Alice felt h

er receded, but she

nitia

nfant

ut eyes as she strained out a whisper.

e have to wash the child fi

i

still feel everything-the pain in her stomach, the emptiness where

ing wa

hadn't

s another child.

her," she choked out, forcing her lips to mov

enc

flat. "Your report says one child, Mrs.

her head weakly. "Please..

y lis

he presence inside her had not left. She was

ease," she

s swallowed

-

rs L

open, her throat dry, he

om was

eptic, the only noise in the hospital room

confusion swir

en it

ba

to guard her belly. It

was he

ing the crib. But the spo

t, wincing as blood trailed down her arm. She leapt from bed, h

r creak

were still blurred, but she co

ispered, her v

ears were streaming down her face as she wrapped h

aby-where i

d not respond

d, she saw that it was n

cut through

s hear

Ry

as in front of her. Her perfect lips twisted into a

lded her arms, tilting her head in mock surpris

ar wrapped its vise around h

rasping the front of Clara's dre

t. Alice staggered, her legs trembling as if

eyes blazed with something awful, something wicke

fusion and fear roiling

ruly ill before I took my rightful place as his wife. But then-" she gazed at Alice's belly with

suffocating weight pre

by?" she panted, her ow

that she could whisper in Alice's ear,

r baby, Alice. I made sure

tched her hospital gown. Tears burned the back

onster," s

etending to be innocent

nsified, her words

r. You will die soon. Like y

All muscles hardened,

o

no

ease-" She was hoarse with desperation. "I never did you wr

her arm, her eyes

lice's wrist before shoving her away. "Everyone liked you. Everyone

was frozen i

usy. Spite. Years

th malice. "Sleep tight, dear sister," s

beneath her and she

was not h

ba

hands interlacing as

d to s

e possessed she attempted to lift herse

ed. She scr

ne c

ng harsh and pained. Her belly crampe

-she

hroat as her body crashed

st in he

So much

ing the hospital gown, drip

rs shaking violently, stretching ou

r creak

appr

faces hover

voice in broken fragments.

y lis

r. She was lifted from

rrounded he