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