Coma, Cruelty, and Caleb's Betrayal

pulled me out, my skin was raw and inflamed. They half-dragged me, dripping and shi

est. The pain was a living thing, a fire that consumed me from t

ing to d

d die on m

raphs from before the coma, a pressed flower Caleb had given me on our f

s world clean, with n

ace in the main library, a room I was usually for

my smiling face to ash. The fire consumed my past, my lov

u think you

crackle of the fire. Hailie stood in the doorwa

st watched the last

"Trying to get attention again? You're pathetic. Burni

embers across the expensive Persian rug. A small fla

feet, trying to stomp ou

ing into my skin. "Let it burn! Let e

ngs, already so weak, seized. I coughed, a de

oked, my vis

you want. Nobody will help you. They'll just think you're

and Fitzgerald bu

r side, ignoring the flames and my de

into his arms. "Ericka... she tried t

that came out was a wheezing cough.

re glacial. "You never learn, do you?" he snarle

is words was a

d at the door. "Take her to the sauna. Turn it a

agging me from the smoky ro

sement. The door slammed shut, and a moment later, I heard

me, stealing the air from my lungs. Sweat

oice a hoarse scream. "Plea

was no

r times in this house, family barbecues in the summer, Christmas mornings b

ow had their love twisted

uldn't scream anymore. I slid do

ousness slipping away, t

ilhouetted against th

sked, her voice dri

bucket of ice water t

said with a vicious sm

skin was a new kind of agony. My body we