blaze with lights and laught

rse, regaling the guests with some fabric

orn and dirty, her hair was matted with grime, and she c

bert Mcneil, saw her, his

like that?" he hissed, grabbing

r's locket," Alana s

r commanded. "You ar

r her. Before her mother died. Before he decided her only v

an the pain in her ribs. She pushed

ringing out in the sudden s

mall, velvet pouch. "Here you go, sist

d just as Alana reached f

her mother's tiny, faded photo

snapped

he face, the sound echoing

nd shoved Alana hard. "You monste

She fell into a large decorative display of glass sculptures.

all rushed to Joyce, cooing o

roared at the household staff. "I don

eir grips like iron. They dragged her aw

ery man arrived with a massive bouquet

as address

who truly m

dding day, to fill their home with blue hydran

he dark, musty baseme

tal. It smelled of

screaming until her throa

pressed. The kidnapping. Being locked in the trunk of

bs, and she couldn't breathe. She curled into a bal

basement doo

tted against the lig

as A

arms, holding her ti

'm so sorry. I came

d flashed back to that day fifteen years ag

e she had given him that day. It meant 'sta

is arms went ri

k, his eyes w

ed, his voice a strained whisp