When Tough Love Kills

d the sterile white of a hospital room.

ear me?" he asked

ocus. My head throbbed

said. "He has second-degree burns, but he's s

and tibias. Your ribs show signs of both old and new bruising, and your head t

ther stormed into the room,

rom the doctor's hand. "Stress fractures? She's a drama queen,

am, these injuries are not consistent with a simple fall. They are con

"She probably fell and hit her head

ncles arrived,

at me. "She hurt the kid to get back at us. To mak

to me, her face a canvas of fury and be

ster," s

k, she ripped the IV line out of my arm.

"I'm not paying for this hospi

a'am, you can't do that! She's in critica

me!" Debra shrieked.

s, hauling me out of the bed. The pain was so intense I screamed. They ignored m

there, his face pal

t like hours, the tires crunching on a gravel road. We stoppe

the car and toward a

nches from mine. "Fine. You can stay in here unti

e air was frigid and smel

came from the other side of the door. "We'l

olute darkness. I was alone, bleeding, and freezing.