The Agreement of Erasure

th lead, each breath a monumental effort. The cramps in my stomach intensified,

d to ge

th, trying to force myself to throw up. I gagged, my body convulsing, but n

moment, I was aware of the cold tile against my cheek; the n

y pocket. With a surge of effort, I reached for it, my fi

make sure you were resti

cut through the fog. Maybe I was wrong. Ma

sage came through

ng up at him, a genuine, radiant smile I hadn' t seen on her face in months. They were a perfec

happier with

The hope vanished, replaced by a cold so profound it burned. It

and Liam my trust, and they had taken both and set them on fire. T

. A pale, sweating face. A trickle of dried blood matted in my hair

nd was invisible, a gaping hole where my trust in

ams, of late-night talks and promises of forever, crum

yself up, my muscles screaming in protest. My legs were unst

the bathmat. I pitched forward

ket next to the toilet. The cheap plastic shatter

, welled up around it, pooling on the white tile floor. A new injury, fresh and raw, painting a gru