The Scars We Carry

here was nowhere to go. My legs trembled, a phantom pain shooting up from my

, my voice shaking. "

in the air, but he sensed the danger. He pointed a tiny finger at Et

on his lips. "Mommy? You call this thing your mommy?

g at me. "He's... he's just a child I'm looking after. I

to suffer, Chloe. I want you to pay for every single day Sophia has spent in that w

s moved towards me. I clutched Leo tighter, my hear

manded. "Or I'll have my men

her, pleading with my eyes. He just stared at the ground, hi

my voice breaking. "He's

ared. "My mother, your ste

Leo, I had to do what he wanted. I slowly sank to my knees on the c

I hurt Sophia. It was all my fault. Punish me. Do whatev

?" He glanced around, then his eyes landed on something by the side of the road-the

ed in my stomach. I

adistic pleasure in his eyes. "Fine. Crawl. Crawl across

Leo, his terrified screams tearing

! L

like ice. "Or the next thing you hear w

to crawl, my hands and knees moving towards the fire. The heat was intense, and with the first touch, an agonizing pain shot through my hand, the smell of burning flesh f

d blood. I collapsed, gasping for breath, the pain a roaring fire

ble, and then he turned and walked back to his ca