A Night With My Brother-In-Law

king into an abyss I couldn't escape. The unsettling silence in the room made everything worse. The weigh

with the remnants of a night I couldn't fully recall.

n't a

ilence, a soft, barely-there rustle. My breath hitched. Where was it coming from?

en I s

a

t not in the

ay he was su

d's young

My mind screamed for an explanation, gra

t be what it

ve just entered

k. Maybe he got lost and m

yb

p down,

ne. The pieces fell into place too fast, too painfully. The sensat

t

in flashes, jagged pieces of a

rm

on m

less w

alco

laug

ng pull that h

the line had been crossed, but I

no

ound my trembling body, shame and h

I let th

face Dick

through my spi

ntire body stiffened. Paul emerged, rubb

ression

fus

izat

th

gr

ould see in his eyes that the night was j

it hi

pta

e

everythin

orror of realization crashed over him li

t supposed

ed, but no wo

his disheveled hair,

"I... I don't remember everythin

sto

uld he

o way to ju

th tension and regret

to l

s room, out of this mes

was m

he blanket like it was the o

ed. "We... we c

es snappe

stood im

hough my voice was still unsteady. The weight of the

odded

't want

the

ould destro

ilently, painf

don't stay b

y next thought, a sharp

caught in

ire body w

was

o me, a silent qu

it D

to steady my breathing, to think

e again, loud

movements were frantic, uncoordinated. I could see the panic

tighter, as if they could somehow shield

, a

a'

ri

ousek

e force of my exhale. My hand pressed against my chest as I

agged slightly, exhaling sharply,

ing. "Maria, now isn't a good time. You ca

's voice again, hesitant. "Alr

he hallway, and I finally

rieve was s

reached down to put on

und of a car pullin

k's

G

the edge of his shoe as his head

t," he b

e skyro

was

hastily pulled his shirt over his head. His movements we

th

nt door

tst

r. Cl

h twisted

finish dressing before

oom door

rough the room, s

caught in

ld be

p down,

was

i

e. My heart pounded so violently I wa

enched into fis

't ready

t ready t

ould w

would

t impor

we keep the t