The Unseen Empress of Sound

ssure that threatened to split me in two. I screamed until my thro

feel the unnatural, agonizing pressure.

w, the cold water around

, the smell of mildew, and the relentless, escalating tortur

steps above. The

ckness as the door opened. Hope, stup

Mrs.

the light from the house, looking down at me like I wa

er voice dripping with disa

my voice a broken

tied to himself in a moment of weakness. It's better for everyone if it doesn't survi

most surreal. I couldn't process it. I just

tinny and distant, even from the bottom of the stair

one. "That little tramp from Tennessee wrote a better song?

f pure rage. "Don't you dare blame me! I'm here, cleaning up you

er eyes wild. "This is all your fault," she hissed.

back, she was holding a large plastic container. The la

this mess for go

tipped the co

ar. It hit the water with a violent hiss, and the

in was beyond anything I had ever imagined. I tried to shield my stomach, curling into a tight

tt's face, her features twisted in a triumphant sneer, as she