Shattered Hand, Broken Heart, Burning Soul

The room was dim, the evening sun casting long shadows on the floor. No fl

onstant, grinding ache in my reconstructed hand or the hollow s

check my vitals.

sweetie?" she

throat too

ial-looking manila envelope on my bedside table. "It was

ll, steady thump. H

nvelope. Inside was a single sheet of paper. I

IGENCE & SECURIT

RECRUITME

E: ETHAN

ROVISIONAL

f his word. A quiet sense of relief, cold and clean, washed o

ind drift back over the last seven years. Seven

stem, arriving at the Wilsons' big, beautiful house. Eleanor had hugged me,

ence as a competition. He wasn't overtly hostile, not at first. He was a master

riend, he would complain of feeling "abandoned and lonely," and Eleanor would ask me to spend more time at home with him. I

so grateful to be chosen that I was terrified of rocking the boat.

ith a tray of food. She glanced at m

surgery," she said, her voice gentle.

ice hoarse but firm

y that was somehow more validating than any of

e. I hadn't looked at social media since the attack. C

The first post in my

ivia, and Caleb-all beaming. They were at a fancy restaurant. Caleb

Caleb Wilson! He got the full scholarship to the Northwood Aca

ery end, a final t

gged me in

ind of detached fascination with their sheer, unmitigated cruelty. They were celebrating

wn caption: "Feeling so blessed. Thanks to my family for always be

ing for a competition. The time he'd "lost" my portfolio just before a college interview. Every single time, he'd put on

rush to his side. "Don't be hard on him, Ethan.

that would flatten anything and anyone that stood in its path. And I was just something in the path. My

t I didn't have to wonder anymore. I didn't have to ho

ecision was no longer a decision. It was

nd Sarah. They walked in carrying a basket of fruit and cheap ba

ake emotion. "We are so, so sorry we weren't here whe

em. My silence seem

th the strap of her purse. "Those reporters

, stepping forward and trying to take my good hand. "

d my ha

ned. "Don't be l

cloying sympathy to stern warning. "We ne

f course. It always

sharing a great secret. "He feels so guilty about what happened to you. He thi

ing a clear, unspoken message: Pl

hed, her voice a low threat. "Do

ink. I just stared, letting the full weight of my cold, silent contempt

e