THEY NEVER WANTED HER - NOW SHE'S UNAVOIDABLE

llway slipped under t

na was too young to understand what was unfolding behind th

ot m

visible, but she knew its cracks by heart. She traced them in her mi

reached he

tle of

uick on the

ne tried to ho

ow to be understood, but clear enough

ized her mo

e vibrated differently. She was whispering. One word. Then another. Perhaps a

sn't

as f

ar. Dense.

ed her stuffed toy. The fabric was worn, almost colorless. She held it tightly-not b

fell all

rdinary

nce to

ed every door in the w

ed to be holdi

ning to, An

n

w

re

way she had learned to do when her mother said in an overly calm voic

noise r

arp

truck, ti

pped without

the door grew faste

ng invisible had settled there. She had no word for it.

here was t

or

ut

mediately

ugh to be a

ent to b

m. It clung to the walls before lodging itself insid

not

l. A silence that waited for n

id not

o stretch, to thicken, almost becoming visible. She wanted to cry, but no

had change

me. Hesitant. The handle turned gent

e cam

were too wide, too bright. She didn't look at Anna right away. She closed the door

oved towar

s were t

nna felt her mother's heart beating too fast against her cheek. She wanted t

on the bed. Adjusted the

e stepp

" she w

n't a

n't co

er spoken in

e room without

oor c

was a

an't be turned off. She didn't know what had happened. She didn't know who had screamed. But

owly s

already hid a small notebook. Just a few pages. An ordinary object, easily overlo

rs were t

time. Too long for her age. Finally, s

is

stop

, in small

l not

w. She already knew that words should not be left lyin

llway was silent. The air still. Nothing s

Anna

o longer

come. When it finally did, it was light, uns

ow what that night

knew what it h

at adults contr

n in the dark, would fo

r announces

ers qu

you rec

lready