Though my vision is hazy, I know my father looms above me. He’s hit me so many times I’ve already lost count—but he isn’t done.
Right now, I have a reprieve as he screams at me. My ears are ringing, but I can make out most of the words. You’re useless. You’re worthless. I wish you were never born. You can’t possibly be my kid. Your mother must have slept with someone else, the whore. I busted my knuckles, and now I’m going to use a baseball bat.
All this, because I refuse to accept blame for Caro’s death. Caro, my other half. My better half.
I never should have kept her out so long. I should have returned her hours before. But I didn’t, and Daddy’s dinner wasn’t ready on time. I took full responsibility, but he blamed her. You’re crying. Only guilty girls cry.
I tried to shield her, to take her blows for her, but he just kept shoving me aside. By the time River got home, it was too late. Caro’s body...motionless...
Me, broken and bloody.
At least River was able to rip the baseball bat from Daddy’s hands.
Daddy turned on him, hitting him in the stomach until he vomited blood. Even still, River was able to push me into the closet and lock the door. But it wasn’t long before Daddy killed River, just like Caro, and busted down the door.
He’s yelling at me again. It’s my turn to die, and I’m glad, but I don’t want to go without taking him with me. I crawl to the stove, where pots have fallen.
I swipe up a cast-iron skillet and slam it into his leg with what little strength I have left. I only make him madder. For once, he isn’t concerned about hitting me in places no one will notice. It’s open season.
Daddy kicks me in the stomach. I curl into myself, gasping for breath I can’t catch. He kicks me again, and stars burst over what little of my vision remains. My lungs burn as if they’ve been bathed in acid, that acid rising...rising...spewing out of my mouth.
Blood. So much blood. I’m not going to be able to take Daddy with me, am I?
I’m so sorry, Caro. I’m so sorry, Riv.
I’ll be with them soon. The pain will end, and we’ll be together again. That will have to be enough.
Black spiderwebs weave through my mind, but I fight to stay awake. Gotta prepare for the next blow. But...it never comes.
I’m not sure how much time passes before the spiderwebs thin and I’m able to blink open my swollen eyes. My father lies on the floor in front of me, his face turned in my direction, his eyes wide and glassed over, his mouth hanging open. River stands beside him, a bloody kitchen knife clutched in his hand. He stares at the weapon as if he isn’t sure how it ended up in his possession.
“River,” I gasp, but no sound emerges. My ribs are broken, muscle torn—
—a knock echoes, and the scene vanishes. I blink, and I’m back inside the bedroom at Reeve’s, standing in front of Frosty.
He’s pale, waxen, and he’s staring at me with horror.
“Wh-what just happened?” I ask.
“I think we had a vision,” he rasps. “Two of them.”
Another ability passed on to me? Yes, of course. Only, I didn’t see the future, like Ali. I saw the past.
And Frosty saw it, too.
Oh...no, no, no. He knows my deepest, darkest secret now. He’ll treat me differently. He’ll feel sorry for me. But I don’t want his pity. Yes, I’ve suffered. But we’ve all suffered.
“I didn’t... I don’t... Milla, I’m so sorry.”
That. I don’t want that. He owes me nothing. I owe him everything.
I turn away, not wanting him to see the emotion in my eyes—or the fresh flood of tears.
I suppose I should be glad that I saw into his past, the way he saw into mine. The very moments that define the people we are today. And maybe I would be glad, if I’d seen something else. But Kat’s death? Feeling his desperation and pain? His unending agony? Agony I helped cause. No. Guilt eats me up, the bites bigger than ever before.
The knock comes again, and River steps inside the room. I’m emotionally raw right now, and seeing him pushes me over the edge. The tears trickle down my cheeks, burning my skin.
“You guys have been quiet for a while.” He looks between us and frowns. “What’s going on?”
Frosty shakes his head and backs out of the room. He kicks the door shut behind him, the loud thud jolting me. I stumble back as if pushed, my knees catching on the mattress. I land, bouncing up and down until finally stilling.
“Milla.” River strides across the room to crouch in front of me. “What happened? Talk to me.”
I begin to shake. “I didn’t...I didn’t know Anima would do what they did. I thought they would do as promised and sneak in, grab Ali and leave. But that’s no excuse. I’m at fault. I knew Anima lied and tricked. I should have been prepared. I should have double-crossed them. But I didn’t, and I ended up hurting Frosty so deeply he’ll never recover. I took the most precious part of his life, the treasure he cherished above all others, and I’m a horrible person.”