A Mother's Curse, A World Undone

r, Jessica

. The doctors found no reas

s a stor

he doctors, or at f

all, rented apartment. His face was contorted,

foul-smelling po

ne who knows about these things. These herbs... they'

o force the gritty

agging, terror g

opened again. Aunt

ring woman who lived on a farm outside

pinning me against the wall,

gasps, the sounds I was

t Kevin, a strange expression on her face.

n God's name a

led him

all these years, the mute bitch spoke! And

e, her gaze intense. "A

ll trembling,

e crossed herself, a gesture I'd

ands, her voice

at-grandfather... he was helped by a woman, a 'silent prophet,' they

airy tales, Marth

"If ever again a spouse in this family chose silence, and was driven to speak by great wickedness f

ried me, the silent woman. She

eving sound. "That's ridiculou

at Kevin. She was looking at me

I saw a flicker of bel