DEAD OR ALIVE

ay, Jarek.

e call you"

ere in this house. We can only chat" I qui

bolted out of the bathroom shoved the laundry into the basket and hurried d

en set the tone for the rest of the evening, an

slightly loosened, his jaw clenched. He dro

cautiously, hoping

aight to the kitchen. I fo

asked, trying to k

water. "The presentation didn't go as planned. My t

id, even though I knew my symp

eyes narrowing. "Di

I said

And d

almost

a moment before he walked past me. The

ed into the bathroom adjoining our bedroom, locking the door be

had re

hat anytime you are

b hovering over the call button.

" I typed the message

oing on?"

you o

thought of Lorien and Azra, of the bruises I hid unde

itted. "I'm

ad the concern in his message. "N

not the man you remember,

opening made me freeze and I q

you need me to come over?" Jare

from the bedroom. "N

hone into my pocket, my heart pound

n there?" Kael demand

lied, keeping my voice st

into his features. "You're acting strang

quickly. "I'm

a moment longer be

ape me. You don't have a job to live on your own and tak

hing as he cli

for certain: I couldn't keep living like this. Something had t

*

ease, a foreboding I couldn't sha

e day before, her small voice a rare moment of

fast table, picking at his toast, his shoulders hunched as

y?" I asked, pouring

lk to mommy?" I asked him a

t meeting my ey

I knew that look, the one that said he was wres

ed for a few minutes, hoping to catch a g

dismissed the thought, I wasn't ready t

tate to confront Kael, calling his blu

I needed time, at least

I sighed, got back into

routine was the only way to

phone rang on the table. Wiping my hands on a towel, I pick

wered, my stom

cademy," the voice on the other end said. "We need you and your h

sank. "Is

a serious matter. Please

o the schoo

to come over after I pu

was also pulling over

ption area, her expression a mixtu

ng," she said, lead

, his head bowed, his hands clenched into f

" Kael demanded

gestured for

another student this morning. He punched a boy

e trembling. I turned to Lor

swer, his eyes f

." She hesitated, glancing between Kael and me. "He said he did

The room seemed to tilt, and I gripped

ridiculous," he said, his vo

e," I said quietly

uld have frozen fire. "Are

er tone firm but calm. "It's about understanding

aping against the floor. "We'll ha

gan, but he

done

*

sat in the backseat, silent and tense, w

s gripping the steering wheel as th

pped into the hou

ming the door behind him. "You've turned our so

hot back, my voice rising f

epping closer. "You've shown him that it's okay to be a v

all your fault" I yel

ee you abuse his mom and he thought it was okay. I've tried to pro

. "From me? You've poisoned them agains

ugh the chaos, small but