e I was late coming home from my part-time

my curfew, Mom was waiting. She didn'

slammed my head against

ted b

later. He must have heard the commotion when

are you doing?" he yel

oor, dizzy, my

ask of horror and rage. "Sarah, ar

his phone, hi

thing heavily, her e

d up. Detective Rodriguez, a woman with

voice trembling with anger, explaini

patiently, her gaze shiftin

again. She too

you listen to a hysterical boy, perhaps you should see this.

e to Detective Rodr

ed by shock, then a dawning horror that mirrored what

to me, then back to Mom

fully neutral. "Mr. Johnson, are you sure you want to pres

hard. He wouldn

No, I... I think I misunderstood. It was jus

etrayal, cold and sha

ht. Well, if anything changes, here's my

to Mom, his face still pale, his eyes

as no warmth there anymore,

tant. He was speaking to my mother, but his words were l

arents. "She needs to go

e? What was so horrible that it tu

ed and practically fled the

Mom, the silence heavy

for the first time, I saw something that wasn

n it wa

said, her voice weary

, my body aching,

rly, compl