• Chapter 4 "Just Count To Five"

    "Ma'am? I'm going to need you to stay with me, if you can, just for a moment," the man said as he loaded Allie into the back of the ambulance, "Ma'am? Can you hear me?" Allie nodded, her eyes staring...

  • Chapter 17 "Lick"

    The banging had started again, just like the last few weeks, waking every dog in the neighborhood, cajoling them into fits of barking, filling the night sky with frustrated howls. Melanie groaned, sat...

  • Chapter 13 "The Ugliness"

    Why was someone knocking at Natasha's door? It was only...oh, it was 11. Natasha groaned as her hand left her bedside clock and she stumbled out of bed, pulling on sweatshirt and heading down the stairs....

  • Chapter 16 "The Black Room"

    "Melanie," Allen said, pacing as she sat on the chair, looking at the photos hanging from the clothesline strung across the apartment, barely lit up, "you need to know that these are things you've buried,...

  • Chapter 3 "Baby Tricks"

    Allie could feel the tile under her hands, the cool of the bathrooms air conditioner keeping her from overheating as its hum filled the room. She groaned and reached up, gripping the toilet and pulling...

  • Chapter 12 "My Sister's Boyfriend"

    "Do I have to do this?" Violet asked, sitting at the kitchen table as Natasha prepared her breakfast. As she finished and set the plate on the table in front of Violet, Nat took a seat at the table across...