Sacrificed Son, Unbreakable Soul

the house. My mother stood at the kitchen doo

e night before had never happened. As if she hadn't accused m

hungry. The thought of sitting at that table, prete

s came up the stairs. He appeared in my doorway

ther made breakfast. Stop sulking and get dow

ry," I said,

ungry. You will come down

cal sniffle came from the kitchen. It was Cal

rong?" my mother cooed, r

with fake emotion. "I just... I feel bad that E

tten and replaced with gushing sympathy for Caleb. "This is you

huge stack of pancakes sat in the center. My mother slid a plate in front of my seat. It w

since I was a child. A severe, life-threatening alle

. Or maybe they ha

Caleb's minor achievement with a feast, and the plate the

y lips. It was a

Sarah asked, narrow

ng pushed aside, of being told to be smaller, quieter, less-it all came rus

silent kitchen. "You don't even know, do you? After eighteen

d head. My mother's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock

tammered, recovering first. "It's just a p

point was the chasm of neglect it represented. The point was that the dog's diet

ds me, her voice dripping with condescension. "Have some

rganic juice. The rest of us got the cheap concentrate. It wa

me for making a scene. My mother, already fussing over Caleb, asking if my s

like shouting into a vacuum. They would n

son they had so cheerfully offered me. I didn't nee

ack of peanut-dusted pancakes.