Chapter 2

2

"Cora Hastings, are you even human?"

"My poor baby Gemma... she was so young! I regret the day we ever brought you back from that backcountry swamp!"

Mom's eyes were bloodshot. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently, her tears streaming down uncontrollably.

During the days Gemma was missing, Mom had aged years from grief.

Yet when Gemma locked me inside the high school bathroom for three freezing days without food, Mom never worried once.

She simply told everyone I was a delinquent running wild with trash on the streets.

To Mom, light only existed in the world when Gemma was smiling beside her.

I closed my eyes, letting the tears slide down my burning cheeks.

I did not bother to defend myself.

In their minds, the verdict was already sealed. I was the jealous murderer who ordered Gemma's death.

Any word I said would only fuel their hatred.

"You lived with your grandmother in that forgotten rural town for over ten years. We thought you were happy there, so we never planned to bring you back."

"It was Gemma who kept worrying about you! She begged us to bring you home so you wouldn't suffer!"

"A girl who had never met you showed you nothing but love, and you repaid her by getting her killed?"

Dad jabbed a finger in my face, his voice booming with absolute rage.

He actually gave Gemma all the credit for my return.

He had no idea that if Gemma hadn't sabotaged every letter I sent, I wouldn't have been trapped in that hell until Grandma died.

I kept my head down, silent.

"Are you deaf and mute, you psycho?"

Infuriated by my silence, Milo kicked me hard in the stomach.

Pain shot through my gut, making me double over. Seeing my agony only deepened the disgust on his face.