itiell

ors, unable to process the visual input. I had personally watched Dante stand as straight as a p

both hands planted on the floor, his head bowed. H

triumph. She extended her bare foot and hooked

ead, he lifted his face obediently. His eyes were wide, unfocused,

The pungent, bitter smell of raw che

ice was sugary sweet but laced

e my queen," he rasped, his voice sc

rd I had to grip the doorframe to stay standin

ting. He was completely compromised. He was being pumped full of some heavy ne

rward. A stream of dark brown liquid

licked the liquid greedily off his own lips and her skin, not ca

pathetic sigh of satisfaction. He dropped his

fted. She looked right over the back of the sofa, her

eized. Our eyes lock

corners of her mouth curled up into a slow, incr

ried into the hallway. "Some trash shoul

t her loud voice. He was l

doors open. I didn't scream or confront her.

st, lightest steps I could manage, gliding down the hallway a

locked the heavy door behind me. My legs gave out. I

ning. Cold sweat soaked throug

ng me the same poison. I would become a drooling lunatic, o

I popped the wooden panel loose and pulled out a cheap, plastic Nokia burner phone. I had hidden it

g a harsh green glow in the dark room. My fingers trembled sligh

ssed

ected. There was dead silence on the othe

rcing my voice to turn i

arp metallic *clink* of a Zippo lighter

red. It was deep, magnetic,

who had warned me not to marry Dante. Even through the static, I co

need a top-tier scrub

other end, followed immediately by the l

t of this