BITE BACK

drained the warmth from the world. The wind didn't move. The trees stood stil

iancé. My almost-husband. Now, just a name

dn't come in tears. It came like smoke. Thick in my lungs, sour i

ncounter him in the woods where he liked to run. The sheriff s

he died. They didn't say anything about the way his body was found-not just torn, bu

tailored onto their bones. His mother wore black lace and pearls, but her face was sharp. She looked a

e the

ke a question no one would answer. The silver wa

smelled like citrus and old smoke. Her buzzed hair was dyed electric blue again. It clashed hard with

red, voice low enough

ie number o

stening. My eyes stayed locked on the coffin as it was lowered into the ground. The finality of it

red below the earth, something cold ran down m

, just past the crooked gate and half-dead trees, there was someone standing in the woo

onged to the forest. Like

lin

o

. Jez looked where I pointe

e w

allowing the unease.

aid a hand on the casket before she left and whispered something I couldn

under our feet like bones breaking. My hands wer

er?" she asked. "I could m

to be alone. J

push and when not to. She hugged m

you don't, I'm calling the co

ot

engine off, hands in my lap, staring at nothing. T

ought I was asleep. The way he would hum under his breath when he cooked. The way he

s when he handed me the death certificate. About the scorch

wasn'

feel like

he start of so

y gut, someth

n't an a

er di

not fi