Chapter 48

I have to wait until the alone times to talk to her. If I don't, I get in trouble. I want to stay with her and hug her forever, but he tied her up, and so all I can do is curl up against her like a cat. When I was a normal girl, I got to pet and play with her cat all the time. She said it could be mine. I want her to tell me about all the things we were going to do together when she takes me again. She's told me a ton of times, but I never get tired of hearing it. I can eat anything I want. She said she won't have to ‘restrict' my food like Dad used to make her do. I'll have a room. We'll go to restaurants and parks. We'll go shopping. I can watch TV. I might even have friends. I can go back to school even though, as she always reminds me, I have a lot to catch up on. I know I'm not like normal girls, but maybe I can be if I live with her again.

I feel her breath on top of my head.

"I thought you were going to come get me," I say.

"I was, honey. I was. But something bad happened."

My breath feels funny in my chest like there's not enough air. "Something bad happened to Aunt April?"

"I'm so sorry, sweetie."

His voice is mean and scary. "Don't call her that. She wasn't an aunt."

"She was!" I yell. "I loved her!"

His fingers wrap around my upper arm, squeezing until the pain makes my eyes water. Mom shrieks, "Leave her alone!"

It's too late. He drags me away. I try to fight but he's so much bigger than me and when he's angry, no one can stop him. "I told you to stay away from her." He throws me down so hard my entire back hurts. Leaning down until his face almost touches mine, his spit lands on my cheek. "If you go near her again?—"

We both freeze. I hear footsteps. He does, too. His whole face changes and I know he's going to fake being nice again. Before he walks away, he finishes his sentence in a whisper. "I'll kill her."