be a night

no, it wasn't. I woke up in a hospital bed, my whole body aching and

Sara hit me

nk, lifeless-co

can't be real.

..! Sa

at her phone. Her head snapped up the moment she realized I w

yes, and that's when I k

desperately wa

od!" she sobbed, her face a

oice came out choked, c

sweetheart. Everything will be f

eel safe. In fact, it made my f

! Mom, where is

s okay, maybe in the

om took a deep br

e like a smac

hat brutal attack, but Sara was strong. Sh

ken that shortcut through the woods. I lost my bes

was I s

d in disbelief. "It's my fau

e me! Forgi

fe now. I promise you nothing will

n time, I would. Sar

nd drown in the regret that

ke my statement. I told them everything I remembere

But it was huge, covered in fur, with sharp

to us became the biggest

of the story, but Mom w

't a wild animal. Some even said Sara and I were drunk

s. Basele

helped me out of the

and empty. It was j

family. Yeah, the woman who ruin

t. But I got through it - because of Sara.

ood friend t

sed soul, no g

," Mom said quietly, giving me a sympath

ead weakly.

ndages need to be change

just want to

ht, swee

aight to my room. A strange rotten sme

s that

The water was murky and disgu

! Maxwell!

t. Everything

didn't deserve a happy life. That I

body felt hot. It was

g about this. I was sweating like crazy, especi

hy...oh God.

too soon for that? The wounds were deep. Yet I c

dage on my chest and

nds were gone

Just a faint pink trace, l

t th

bed, turning on the light

he skin-it

tell Mom,"

d for the doork

eded surgery to close. The doctors

n this to my mothe

Mom can't kn

r get any peace. I needed

the door ma

grabbed my backpack. When I opene

she asked in surprise. "Di

inting to the trash can.

avoiding eye contact. I couldn't

red cereal into a bowl, adde

e bus so I wouldn't

st at home for another two weeks. But what s

er

t of my thoughts. I looke

h, M

hool? You're still recovering. You

nd nodded quickly. "I'm fin

if trying to see t

aid. "You're lucky to be alive with everything you've b

ome felt like

no one

at school... at least the

a few months left. I have to prep

ghter. I didn't know

omething of Mom. Like... her aura. W

el something about Mom. Som

Bern. Don't wo

Sara won't." My voi

e was gone. She was with God. But t

ge together, maybe even joined the s

live, I know she'd want you to be calm.

he's not

Sara was fate. No one could have

ved and she didn't, it didn't seem

ve you to

take the

o put my spoon on the

was brok

I stuffed the broken spoon into m

threw the spoo

sing a spoon. I was a

happeni