Chapter 3

3.

As Julian held him, Cody, perched on his father’s shoulder, craned his neck to look back at me curiously.

In the next second, Julian covered the boy's eyes with his hand. His voice was cold. "Don't look. The woman inside eats naughty little children."

The little boy giggled as if he’d heard a funny story. "Like a big monster in a movie?"

"Cody's not scared! Cody is a superhero who can beat the monster lady! Right, Mommy? Right, Uncle Julian?"

A man's low "Mm" followed, then a woman's chiding laugh. "Cody, shh, you can't say that. She's not just any woman. She's very, very mean."

I shot up from the floor, grabbed the decorative lamp from the table, and hurled it through the closing door.

A woman's scream came from outside, followed by her broken sobs. Then, a man’s furious, teeth-gritted roar. "Ella!"

"Julian, it's okay, I don't mind. Let's just stay away from her. It doesn't hurt, ow…"

"Uncle Julian, open the door! Let me go beat up the bad woman who hurt my mommy!"

My face was a cold mask as I grabbed everything within reach and threw it at the door.

A few seconds later, it was finally quiet outside.

They were gone.

I collapsed onto the floor, staring at the closed door, my vision blurring. No matter how many times I blinked, I couldn't see anything clearly.

I don't know how much time passed before I finally pulled myself up and took down the picture frame from above the fireplace. The chaos had knocked over a candle, smudging the photo with soot. I raised my hand and carefully, repeatedly, wiped the glass with my fingertips until it was perfectly clean again.