Prologue

PROLOGUE

Pike - 8 years old

Eli - 4 years old

"We can't keep them here. I'm sorry." The words drifted from the kitchen, where Joyce Reynolds spoke with the social worker in what I'm sure she thought was a quiet voice.

I crept back up the stairway to the room I shared with my little brother Eli. This placement had been better than most, but we'd known it wouldn't last. It had been too good to be true. In this house, there had been no hitting or touching in the dark. We had chores to help with, but I didn't mind those. I liked them. These people said we wouldn't be sent back, but they were liars. I wasn't surprised. Grownups were all liars.

My brother sat with his back to me, hunched in the corner. I knew better than to disturb him. At four, he was a wild little thing, untamed despite many of them trying their best. The couple downstairs were frightened of him. Scattered around Eli were dolls, action figures, whatever he could find, but all their eyes had been removed. He couldn't sleep until the eyes were gone.