The Guardian of the Curse

lashing lights. They worked on Matthew right ther

e has a severe nut allergy! It was the pie! Her pie!"

tears streaming down her face. "No," she whi

did. The question wa

o the hospital. Nicole went with the

day, sh

ile white van pulled into our driveway. Two orderlies, big men with blank fac

ote on my notepad, h

said, her voice devoid of any emotion. "She needs

e, a place with a dark reputation for underfunding, ne

shaking. "She is fine

st and jeopardized a billion-dollar project," s

an named Frank, grabbed me and held me back. I heard my mother crying, begging. They led her out,

he cried.

ut it was useless. They put

itting by Matthew' s bedside. He looked weak, an oxygen tube in his n

tepad. I wrote qui

me. She didn't mean

up for Nic

ook at my note. She looked at me, her eyes filled w

her voice low and vicious. "Do you re

p and walke

silent cripple like you would be his good luck charm. If he hadn't insisted I ma

my miserable life with her was a lie. Not just a loveless arrang

stepped forwa

t of here,"

stunned, too broken. As they dragged me toward

s, driving the air from my lungs. Another blow followed. Pain exploded in my c

or breath, the years of silence,

my throat, raw and

, the word feeling

atch, a small, crue

poured out of me, fueled by a lifetime of repres

most," I croaked, "and live

d by a flicker of shock, maybe even fear. Then it was