Chapter 2

2

My mother and my brother, Gabe, were standing in the doorway, frozen in terror as they stared at the massive dog.

The beast stood before them, its eyes wild, looking ready to pounce at any second.

Damn it!

I thought I had made sure they would stay away!

I reached into my bag for the sedative-laced treat and moved slowly toward the dog.

"Josie, be careful!" my mother cried out, her voice trembling.

The aggressive scent I'd used to trigger the dog was fading, and though it was still agitated, it wasn't as crazed as before.

I held the treat to its nose and gently stroked its head, slowly leading it out of the house.

"I'm taking the dog back to the street. I'll be back in a bit."

Gabe walked over and patted my head, telling me to stay safe.

I choked back tears and nodded. It had been so long since I'd seen Gabe like this―healthy and whole.

I had spent the last two days terrified that this was all a dream.

In my previous life, I hadn't seen him smile for years.

Not after he was crippled and my father forced him to give up his eyes.

I remembered the fire. Our whole family was trapped, but my parents and I managed to get out.

Gabe and Wayne were still inside.

My father had thrown a wet blanket over himself and charged back in. At the time, I thought his conscience had finally kicked in.

I thought he was going to save his son.

But he came out carrying Wayne.

Gabe told me later that in the middle of that inferno, our father had looked him right in the eye.

He had glanced at his own son with total indifference before turning away to find Wayne.

My father abandoned his own flesh and blood in a sea of flames. Gabe lost both his legs that day and was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

I thought that was the peak of human cruelty, but my father proved me wrong.

Wayne's eyes were damaged by the smoke, leaving him with blurred vision.

My father actually tried to force Gabe to donate his corneas!

"Gabe, I've raised you for years. Besides, you're already a cripple. You don't need those eyes, but Wayne has a bright future ahead of him."

"Don't be so selfish! He's your cousin!"

I have no doubt that if the law didn't require consent, my father would have carved Gabe's eyes out himself.

"Woof!"

A bark snapped me back to reality. I was about to soothe the dog when I saw thick black smoke rising in the distance.

That was… my house!

As I ran back, my mind raced. The fire wasn't supposed to happen for another month.

Could saving Lucky have caused a butterfly effect?

Please, let Gabe and Mom be okay!

When I reached the front door, my father had already wrapped himself in a wet quilt and disappeared inside.

"Josie, don't go in! It's too dangerous! Your father is in there; he'll save your brother!" my mother sobbed, grabbing my arm.

I shoved her hand away. "If I don't go in, my brother is a dead man!"

I threw a wet sheet over my head and plunged into the heat. The flames were roaring now.

The house wasn't huge. After a few steps, I saw Gabe lying in the corner and my father with Wayne on his back.

Gabe was desperately clutching my father's leg, but my father was heartlessly kicking him in the chest over and over.

"Let go of me! How can you be so selfish, trying to stop me from saving your cousin? Having a son like you is a curse! You deserve to die in here!"

I shook with rage. Gabe had told me our father didn't save him, but he never told me the details of this brutality.

As my father raised his foot for another kick, I sprinted forward and used every ounce of my strength to kick him square in the chest.