e back of Ava's neck, a gentle w

filled with the familiar smel

e center of the room, a nearly finishe

had built for herself, away from

ge wa

was

ipped brush, ready to

her phone cut th

annoyed by th

s on a rag and gla

a knot of dread tigh

e

Leo?" she answere

id, his voice a famil

o greeting,

nt straight

ve any mone

just gave you your tuition

tightened aro

ears ago, a well-meaning man who never see

a problem s

ifted between dead-end jobs, and

y way she seemed to fit into their new famil

n intruder who ha

y school, Leo. It's

have a plan," he insi

few hundred. I'l

w he wo

ever

said, her

nging u

outside your building. Come down

trickled dow

t him here, in

," she said, her vo

e right

d hurried out of the st

afternoon w

er on the sidewalk,

his face thin and drawn, his eye

strode forward, gett

the mon

o. Go home, Le

don't you? Little miss perfect artist,"

backward, her

edge of the cur

herself, he shoved her

ward, right i

g happene

ing screec

ring

e of headlights f

pable force slamm

ry nerve, a white-hot ago

e was only

es flutt

g she noticed

ough a window with pink,

d of crayons a

sn't a

but her body felt str

a child'

d in cheerful, bright

orner, a half-finished drawing o

unic

bered dra

looked down

mp, with short, unp

the hands of a

he hands of

zziness wash

all bed, her bare feet

ngth mirror hanging on th

used eyes and two messy brow

her cheeks still hol

pajamas with little

calendar tacked to the

ers announced th

the

0

gasp escap

n't a

uldn'

... it hadn'

sent he

she was in th

the be

a second

o change e

ecoming the monster who wou