oe

alked numbly up the stairs, each step feeling l

voice called after me from the bottom of the stairs. "Don't give the Carli

ed my steps, escaping back to my

d the unmistakable, disgusting stench of their sex still hung heavy in the air of my roo

off the mattress with shaking hands, and shoved them aggressively into a black

ng on the cold floor. I buried my face in my knees, and the raw, agonizi

family no longer wanted. It was a completely different world from my younger sister Emma's room downstairs,

l. They were one of the few splashes of color and joy in my

ore than a decade. It felt more like a storage

years old when Freya gave birth to Emma. Before that, I had vague, blurry memories of a normal childhood

nter of their universe. I was pushed aside, becoming her

s, the warm hugs, and the proud praise, t

ns and a never-ending, exha

couldn't make Emma's breakfast on time. Freya had marched into my room, pointe

reducer and walked away in absolute silence, refusing to meet my eyes. Hi

obedient and perfect enough, I could eventually earn a tiny sliv

to college so I wouldn't cost them a single dime.

give them the meager money I earned from my late-

ly turned into the newest iPhone

ege classmate. We were deeply in love, recently engaged. It was the hap

wearing tiny shorts and laughing too loudly at his jokes. Freya would constantly hint at h

had stolen my fiancé, letting them defile my bed. And tomorrow, they were going to sell my fr

of my powerlessness choked me. I had no money, no degree yet, and absolutely no one to rely on. The suffoc

had no more illusions about this family, about this twisted thing they called l

o my tiny desk, opening

face. I started searching for "Blake Carlisle hockey acci

records and the true nature of his brutal on-ice collision we

ya had siphoned away all my savings under the

n't even afford to rent the cheapest ba

he night seemed pathetic and im

kened, the clouds heavy and oppr

ing naked in my bed, his hand resting intimately on her bare thigh. The caption read: "Some people ju

of my lingering weakness and familial loyalty. I slammed the phone face-d

powerful Carlisles arrived, I would seize the narrative. Freya thought she had me cornered and he