DEAD OR ALIVE

ugh the chaos, small but

tears streaming down his face. Azra peeked out fr

efore storming out of the house,

the day pressed down on me like never before. Lorien clung to

Mommy," he

rry," I said softly. "No

mad," he said, h

ddy's anger is not your responsibility, Lorien. We are not th

but I could see th

already asleep, or at least pretending to

today played o

oming an abuser. I

wing up believing that being abus

te, or worse, to inflict?" I

A dream of raising them in a complete

ht of my children carrying these scars into their future, of

let that

ed h

ien's words, the fear in his voice. And I thought of Azra, so sma

do somethi

did I have the stren

he world sa

**

the last incident was suffocating. I couldn'

between Kael and me had only grown. His words echoed in my head, a

things or that part of me had always known they were true becau

l who still hasn't seen any reason why he's the

he same fear that had kept me quiet for

rom school for two weeks. He'd kept to himself, more distant than usu

ea what was happening. She clung to me, alway

e her when I wasn't eve

*

l came home from work already simmering, his anger an

he same, his clenched fists, the way his eyes narrow

living room, their laughter echoing in the house, a stark co

voice sliced th

ead coiling in my s

he replied

ou tell you

ay anything

believe that?" h

lease,

e me, asking what I'm doing to you?" h

ay anything

ace twisted with rage. He raised his hand, ready to strike, but th

ried, his voice shaking

th Lorien's. There was something dark in his

growled, his fists

is small body shaking but

orien," Kael spat, his

w, desperate love in his eyes, the need to prote

trembled, but there was no t

d in fury. "You see

I watched Lorien stumble backward, his feet slipping on the floor. He cras

less, his body sprawled across the floor, a

g to his side, my hands trem

here, with a

ded, shaking him gently.

didn'