wed were a blur of

like a ghost, my body aching with a grief

res of Lily falling, her face a silen

Scarlett, planning her recovery, building

id over me as if I were a piece

enient reminder

he conservatory, staring blan

you," he said, w

t turn

at?" My voice wa

The therapist says it's crucial for her PT

fear tightene

dogs, a deep-seated phobi

knew

r's German Shepherd had barked at me, whisper

sing that fea

't," I

t. Hire a traine

aid, his v

ett that you support her recovery.

ay, a crate

Belgian Malinois, a

me was

he living room, a picture of fragi

og let out a low, guttural growl

," Scarlett cooed, a faint, mal

is trust, Chloe. Try n

t week

support animal,

owling whenever I came near his food,

m, my body rigid with

arms from when he would lunge

ecause I had n

nd this was just an

preparing the dog's

concoction that ma

, watching me with

," she said, her voice dri

is too muc

I said through

Ares lunged for it, kn

splattered across th

began to gobble it up, along w

ani

him, trying to pull him

me, his teeth

watched, a s

r, the dog w

ght, he

confirmed the cause: internal bleedi

what happened, how

aving her story, her eyes f

, Ethan," she sobbed, bury

think... I think she did it on purpose.

e was a sto

t even l

ask a sing

udged and c

he said, his voice a

f the few things tha

at happened," I plead

an acc

focus entirely on t

from the room, w

ad animal and the crushing w

ned an h

mething far more terrifying

unished," he said

p was l

the manicured lawns, to a small, windowl

, and smelled of

ved me

the consequences of your actions," he s

begged, scramblin

I'm afraid of th

me, his face dev

kno

ammed shut, plunging me

t sliding into place was t

g but my terror and the knowledge tha

e floor, wrapping my arms

aiting for him to let me

the hours stretched into an eternity,

rted to match the blackness of the room, a s

not di

give him the