No Love, Only Ash

easured. A pot was simmering on low he

touch

too tight. The sudden movement made me lose my balance, and my other hand

g back. A red blotch was

His face went pale with panic

d, looking at the smal

e that had grabbed me. He stared a

pered. And then he di

st the tile wall. Once. Twice. The soun

id of emotion. I didn't move to help

and he would hurt himself more. It was a sick competition of pain, designed to make m

ying, begging him to stop. I would clean hi

idn't move me anymore. It was jus

She saw the scene-me holding my burned arm, Liam leaning again

! What happened?" sh

he beef soup for Ms. Chloe? You told me she was c

ld went

m' s stricken one. Then I walked back to t

And floating on the top

ed my food, and I had ended up in the emergency room, struggling to breathe. He had held my hand the entire

vorite soup, a soup that could kil

avoiding my eyes, star

oice low. "Chloe was just... she asked for it.

ked at me, his

Why are you making suc