Anyta
My whole body tensed up. Grandma Jo's words were like a dagger to the heart. They took him.
My brain couldn't process it initially. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Teddy had just gone out, maybe he was hiding, maybe this was all a mistake. But the manner in which her hands trembled, the manner in which her eyes welled up with tears—no. This was real. My son was gone.
A wild, raw scream tore from my throat. "No!" I stumbled forward, catching the wall so that I did not fall. My heart was beating so rapidly, so fast I thought it would jump out of my ribcage.
Grandma Jo stretched her hands out, trying to keep me steady, but her own hands shook. "I tried, Anyta… I tried. They were strong. They knew his name. They said if you want him back, you'll have to listen."
Her words sliced through
