i

a dream. But not

ed sheets. No

as cold. C

ve was full, but wrong-oversized, blood-tinged, pulsing. The trees leaned in, whispering wit

Forgotten daught

ng hair, dark gown, eyes like mine. She didn't sp

et them

her hand. P

ep-and the

creaming.

tangled in sheets, my

haunted

way her voice echoed inside me even now, hours late

lt li

mot

when I was five. They said she walked into the forest and never came bac

re's a part of you no one must see

heard my aunt whisp

itch and that man she married-well, no one really kn

didn't hear. Bu

oking for

oom after my shift. Celeste would kill

s, estate journals, employment logs. I

ne C

itchen maid. Terminated: Ju

e file was a h

ged from public record. May re

od wen

. Cont

ad my mother be

he hel

e Link until i

e the open door. Arms cross

sed to be in here

ened, hear

as j

your mother?"

. "How do

, deliberate. Each step

've been l

his coat. A folded docu

at the edge of the woods, hand outstretched tow

r. From t

the west woods two

whispered. "She's been go

n't re

.. his eyes s

s pos

she w

the d

t, I didn

the scent of p

't alone i

re

ft a single sprig of wol

eath it

. Choose careful