CARNAL

my throne, a seat for

ttered but it was a war I would never lose. The taste of blood on my lips, my fangs

de them suffer and bleed. Feared more

for them I learned to bear. Her eyes were wild with hope, although I knew it woul

well. For how could she learn to love

's P

ndfather

anted to hear, but had bee

lane flying above German farmland, on my way

other, Zak, staring at me. I took out my headphones, even though he

mber

ird birthday, ''

birthday, '' I signed back, my shaky fi

kpack. I noticed as he handed it to me that it wa

before leaning b

out a handful and handed the

k asked me once he

d been studying m

w the

d, red-rimmed eyes were staring blankly at the back of the seat in front of her. I sighed, knowing how hard she wa

German and moved to the United

cer and my grandfather quit his job and moved to Florida

many, he fell ill and was unable to come back to see us.

believe h

ughts. I looked back out the window as my eyes fille

evening when the plan

ther's cottage. Driving up to the cottage was hard. I was used to the porch light

to the side door. I could hear Remi, my grandfather's Schnauze

door and flippe

ly. I smiled grimly as I leaned down to run my fingers t

orway as he squeezed his way inside. In that moment, he looked

on some lights?" My mo

g a deep breath and fighting tears as I looked around the room, I m

the same as it

. The wooden floor squeaked under the pressure of my footsteps as I made my way across the room to turn on the lamp.

own over the duvet. Soon, the jet lag caught u

pt for the first few moments when I woke up an

up the stairs. I got out of bed and went downstairs. My mother and father wer

rning,"

obligatory tha

pping short from asking her ho

ry in a while to make arra

than welcom

I poured myself a cup

. I picked the mug up from the counter and held it tightly. The warmth

king up from my drink, I saw my dad reach across the t

d idea," he said, giv

far too small to hold a funeral, but I wasn't going to

it," s

o find myself looking at he

ha

me like that," sh

d over m

d, my eyebrows furr

which stage of grief I'

iding loudly against the wooden floor as she did so.

dining table, and he sighed and shook h

" I said d

u w

his mug in the sink and

this stuff every day and

but he raised a

t off like you would a client. He was your grandfather

ing cup of coffee. I shook my head as I placed the mug on the counter and crossed my a

still