eady and clear, f

herself. Said she found me on one of those ancestry websites. She wants money. A lot of it. Or she says she'l

d people. Kind. They'd given me a home, a life. Bren

a mix of pi

ch drama in

sounds like a

Pete

ed to the

ber 15t

cigarettes and cheap gin. She found my donation receipts for the youth shelter. Laughed in my face. Called me a 'stupid little savio

ick you could cut it with a knife. The way M

ion carefully neutral. Michael stared a

ber 25t

ell Michael... tell him things. Horrible things she made up about me, about why she really gave

ime washed over me. Brenda

finger

er 1st

id, 'Stay away from me, Sarah. You're disgusting.' The way he said my name... it shattered something inside me. Mom and Dad tried to intervene, but Bre

face, twisted with revul

t was d

ael knew s

nda woman

uld have f

er 5th

voice

calling, demanding money. I block her number, she calls from a new one. Jessica found me. She was... surprisingly kind. Said

. My "f

" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I really tried

close. He glared at the screen, then at David.

I'm just reading what

ned to t

r 20th,

membered. She said she would. I waited near the diner after my shift, hoping she'd text. Instead, these huge guys showed up. Brenda's friends, I think. Or her dealers. They said Brenda owed them money. Big money. They

choed. The taste of blood. The si

y contact related to the Petersons. I can't let th

silent for a

hat's h

se t

n't she go t

making it up.

last post for

er 10th

.. rough. The tips are okay if you can handle the customers. I need t

conjured up images. Dark, smoky, a

xploded wi

itress? LO

for something

Michael was

t the name of the club. He

hand, a look of profo

top screen glowed wit

at David this time, but

sending it cras