a Van

the marble slowly seeped through my thin pajama pants, freezing my skin.

ailing a piano recital. I spent twelve hours shivering in the dark. The cold had

ere completely numb from being curled up for so long. I stumbled forward

aucet all the way open. I cupped my hands, caught the

y head and looked at the woman in the mirror above the sink. Her eyes were bloodshot, her skin pale and s

en. I moved through the dim, quiet living room, heading

alked straight to the vanity. I crouched

ll the way to the back, my fingers brushing against the cold wood, until I found

cardboard were frayed and soft from how many times I

fingers curled around it, squeezing so ha

home to fill the silent void of my own childhood. A mother who st

, wrap it in a little gift box, and give it to Dustin over the Well

It was a cruel, sickening joke. A chain that would tie

osed tighter around the box. The cardbo

row the crushed box directly

ment, a sound drifte

ght

lted my head, straining my ears to catch the so

g at a developer or barking orders at an investor. It was a low, relaxed, incred

pped out of the bathroom, my bare feet making absolutely zero sound on the hardwood fl

acked open. A sliver of blue light from the

t the doorframe and peere

ir. His noise-canceling headphones were resting around his neck. H

eaker. It was high-pitched, whiny, an

bracelet? I'm dying to wear it." It

He reached out and picked up the shark-bone bracel

r to your place later tonight." His tone

Three years ago, to secure his first round of angel investment, I had accompanied him to a dinner and drank liquor until I vomited

er again. "But won't your boring wife

er. The warmth in his voice vanished i

date it is. She just sits at home

the chest. It was a poisoned blade, slidi

He was actively using my domestic servitude-the very life I

the crushed pregnancy test box and squee

out slowly. The violent trembling in my limbs stopped. The devast

dows. I placed my hand fla

't realize my recip