The Abused Wolf

bused

pte

ght Th

-

x year

t honey-glazed pumpkin I always ask for seconds of. She laughed with Dad while they cleaned the dishe

on the rug with my cheek pressed against the soft fur. The flames flickered g

etting

on the tea towel, her long brown braid over

with a soft laugh. "Time to b

, clutching my

n it ha

a

crashed against the fr

ands tightened on the

d. Her eyes widened and darted toward the kitchen. I'd never seen

idn't

nto her arms and

the canned peaches and flour and sometimes chocolate hidden on the top shelf-and shoved me insid

, crouching down to my level. "Don't

ook as she c

matter what. Y

y forehead,

s remember-Mommy and Daddy love you

she shut

kne

My heart was beating too fast. My hands felt cold. I could still hear the

the yelli

s. Harsh. L

reamed. Glass shattered. Something heavy hit the wall-maybe the tab

dn't help. I could still hear the screamin

sil

kind. The kind that feels like

my chest. My cheek rested on my doll's plastic hair.

tayed

I wa

rt. My back ached from sitting still. My mind kept whispering things I didn'

heard f

autious. Jus

y door cr

d dark hair and cold eyes. She didn't smile. She

" she said, lik

y wrist hard. I tried to pul

You're don

was wet. There were broken plates. A smashed c

r Mom. I lo

idn't s

The night smelled like snow, smoke, and so

n dark clothes. A truck parked near

pulled me

n't s

k where we

e hand and stared at the hous

hen that I'd ne

rom this moment on,

t. Somewhere

ing ha

ng even wor