The Night I Died, She Chose Him

up slowly,

e, then patted

You're s

the bed, his sm

ow, peering out in

Laura wa

phone, the land

ra's cell. Vo

art-time job she'd taken recently, something Julian h

e rang a

ice answered. "Book

a O'Connell?" Finn ask

closed hours ago. S

s nearly mi

Finn said, his voic

hun

his face was

edroom, his eyes wide

I think you're re

derstand dea

I just ne

ut of th

jamas, bare feet.

ried to yell, b

spirit gliding thro

n the street, towa

oing to

s bookstore. It wasn't

ttle boy, al

terrifyin

ack in the sidewalk

all, sharp sound,

ept

plumed in t

h him, a hel

k was a step fur

kstore. It was dar

he saw a light on in the coffee shop n

ce to the glass o

ere th

And J

a small tab

ed back, her eyes spa

nd over hers

ged on t

m!

tled. Her smile vanis

d to annoyance. Pure,

of surprise that quickly turned i

, gesturing an

an following, a concerned

you doing here?" Laura hi

as tight o

treaming down his face. "He's sic

hand on Lau

he boy's obviou

was smooth

. "Your dad is a strong man. He's probably just

et mine for a fleeting se

d. "And he wouldn't talk to me. I tried

face w

's faking. He's tryin

n insisted. "He's r

ened up, shakin

is... influencing the boy.

e word dripped

. "Mike wouldn't... H

as there. Julia

tress," Julian said softly.

his small body trembling with

from Laura, to run b

abbed hi

e right now, Finnian O'Connell!" sh

o drag him to

e feigned a stumble, knocking

to the floo

," Julian said

at Finn. "Did y

tle, but the accu

rified. "No! I d

hirled

h Julian?" s

om! I

Finn! Apologize to

n and injustice wel

didn't

ce flushed

Fine! If you won't apologize, you can st

he door and pushed h

!" Finn cried, grab

lready chilled, scrap

gernails bent

yel

ght bead of b

idn't e

the door i

fee shop, the murmur

e in the dark, on

bbed. His kne

vering vio

the warm glass of the windo

ian, dabbing at a non-existent scra

ing, that charm

poor, suf

er, his protect

ess, rag

ng to shield him from the

e truth, Finn," I whisper

ldn't

around himself, hi

r home, a desperate

to me. He'd promise

thing to Laura,

in and whispered so

towards Finn, a flicker o

hardene

good. He wa

a drunk, or unfaithful. He'd bee

ddenly

ight at where

" he wh

istent he

ooking past me, a

inating from

k, then run, back

an effort. H

n came out of t

ance towards the dir

ian said, putting his arm around Laura's sh

eaned i

. Sometimes... sometimes I wis

t me like a

e wished I wo

y gone. And

down the blo

pped,

d by a streetlight, was a

s mother wish h

an faster, a desper

e the uneven

ed forwa

, he didn

ll, crumpled heap o

the opposite direction, their lau

n't see

didn'

hed t

stain was spreading on th

oo

eeding in the

r had just wi

a few minutes

ian's cronies. A

st have c

d around, then rou

e a sack of garbag

r with a key Julian

ng room couch and left, lo

aned, s

ainfully, go

dazed,

rds the bedroo

t want t

n, quiet a

still form

y touche

ce thick with pain. "I'm back.

loor beside the bed,

uiet. Trying not to d

ocence of it t