The Wife Who Escaped Cruelty

anted to swap he

y, our neig

p, cutting through the low hum of the air conditioner. "The co

lled of expensive perfume and desperatio

ide with a manic gleam. She was holding a cheap-looking flyer with a picture of a swi

quiet. "You can' t swap your life with a d

rter than any person I know. Ethan takes him to all those advanced math clubs, and the profess

riever. He was, unnervingly, a very intelligent do

y. He can' t take

ial whisper. "The witch doctor said the ritual swaps our souls. I' ll get his

king, holding two glasses of juice. She ha

landing on the flyer. A slow smile spread across her

know about this? You

you. You' re just happy with your good-enough grades, aiming for some state school." She looked me up and d

aring. "She wants to put her soul into a dog'

"You' re just scared I' ll finally outshine you a

was the maid, the cook, the live-in tutor for a sister who couldn't c

it was useless. They wer

it. I found the witch doctor' s number on a discarded copy of the flyer in the trash. My hands shook as I called him. I scrape

ised. H

was thick with tension. Lily was preening in front of

g, Max, had a perfect SAT score. An a

re so low it was laughable.

hen, Lily turned. Her face was a mask of

issed. "Your witch doc

ing to help

hard. "Help her? Y

of our apartment building. The city lights swam below us. Lil

. "You never wanted me to be happy. If I can' t go to H

I scrambled for footing, pull

won'

' ll mak

nsive heel slipped. Her eyes widened in shock as she lost her balance.

er, we

led into a blur. My last thought was of the irony.

, no

.

you even list

s pink bed. The air smelled of perfume. Lily was sta

xams are in three days.

he date on her digital calendar blinked in bright red letters.

as

given a sec

glasses of juice. The scene pla

ked. She saw the flyer. She smiled. "Oh,

sional one. In my past life, my concern for them had gotte

would be

ing to do what it takes to succeed," Br

was gone, replaced by something hard

said, my voice even. "I thi

nda stared at me, her ey

you say?"

uraging smile. "You should do it. Whatever it takes

ph. "See, Mom? I told you she' d come around. She fi

fault in my words. She just grunted and watched as Lily launched

along, my face a mask

was watching them walk right

from that fall, a fragmented memor

bor Ethan' s apartment. He was standing there, wat

f cold, calcula

o happen. The dog, t

let him have it. I was going t