er

My lungs burned. I spun around, pushing off my

were howling behind my back. The sound wrapped around m

of the hall. I threw my weight against them and stu

lock and twisted it hard. The sharp click echoed in t

ood of the door, my dress bunching up arou

my lungs in ragge

p purple bruises were already blooming on my pale knees. My right

bit down on the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood. I would not make a sound. When I was a child, m

looked at the massive m

hem of the pure white silk dress was smeared w

the shattered heartbreak slowly bled out of my gaze. The w

rabbed my cheap clutch off the floor. I unzip

the contacts list, scrolling past all the fake, glitter

the bottom. I stopped at

breath. I pr

screen. It was a number that represented the

h Mo

ead, bringing with it a h

stepped out of the shadows. He held a black umbrella over my head and handed me a clean, dry handkerchief. He didn't ask for anythi

bt and the threat to my mother's grave pre

the text message app. My finger

dy to pay

d every ounce of strengt

little green arrow. For two seconds, the ghost of my pa

art completely stopped beating. I sta

nly sound was a slow drip from the

nd. Two

zed violently in my palm. The hars

My fingers were stiff as I

hey radiated an overwhelming, suffocating d

ce is ma

my brain like

Chace slipping the emerald ring onto K

trace of fear was gone. There was only

body. This was my entry ticket to

my feet. I turned the cold water handle. I cupped the freez

arbone. I looked at the reborn woman in the mirror. The c

price. This