Prologue 2

Jory (Ten years ago)

Excruciating pain ripped me from my unconscious state as the doctors and nurses worked to debride my burns. I could hear them through the haze of medicines they were pumping into me, things like “fifty percent” and “grafts, stat” made no sense to my pain- and drug-addled mind. I had a flashing memory of green eyes and a deep voice calling me “kitten” before I succumbed once again to the blissful darkness of oblivion.

* * *

“Jory? Jory, wake up, sweetheart.”

“Mrs. Stokes, keep talking to her. We’ve put her in a medically induced coma to allow the grafts to take and help alleviate some of the pain her body endures whenever we have to debride the wounds.”

Memories surround me in this darkness of horrific pain, as well as my screams, whenever they have to clean my wounds. Initially, when they removed the burned pieces of my dress, I remember losing consciousness. The process was long and horrific as some of the tulle that made my dress so poofy melted into the skin of my legs. I feel the tears welling up and leaking down my sleeping form, then the unmistakable sensation of my mother’s fingers as she gently wipes them away.

“How… how long?” my mom asks, continuing to stroke my cheek.

“We’re going to start easing up on the medicines later today. I’ll be honest, your daughter is very fortunate to be alive. The burns are significant, and she’ll have some scarring, but once they’ve healed, it’s possible that she may be able to find someone to camouflage them with tattoos.”

My mom sobs and whispers, “I just want her to open her eyes.”

“We also think she’s going to need someone to talk to about what she experienced and will get a list of names together for you.”

“Whatever it takes, doctor.”