e and gray slush, a biting cold that soaked i

iello family mausoleum loomed against t

rom the climate-controlled

a tapestry of bruises from the kitchen, my lungs rattling with

d, rolling down the window just an inch to let his

vered in crushed gravel and, for today, scattered with hot coals he had

l," h

seizing my chest. "Dant

rn off the batt

up the

tly, mingling with the biting cold of the rain. The heat from the coa

an to

could smell the acrid scent of my own skin scorching. Blood

a was in the passenger seat, laughing at something on her phone. She h

d, gesturing vaguely at m

is face a mask of stone. "Dogs are loy

t cra

click-

only companion. I focused on the mecha

ees were shredded meat. My

the back of my neck in a vice grip, and slammed my for

ra

my face, mixing with the

" he hissed

obbed into the s

ude

ed, my voice tearing

d against the grave, a brok

s hand on a silk handkerchie

ugh one swollen eye, vi

a as she stepped out of the car, stepping delicately over my blood in

soul I still possessed despite the

audible over the rain. "We were supp

u already did the planning. The flowers, the venue, the mus

he car door

walk back

y parents' grave, the rain washing away my blood, realizing