Ariel wrapped her arms around her knees as she sat on the bed with her back against the bed board.
The sound of the gunshot stayed glued to her head longer than she wanted.
The man shaking, pleading.
How he shot him dead. No warning. No hesitation.
Just bang.
Her chest tightened painfully, air refusing to fill her lungs properly as her eyes stayed glued to the bed, as she could still see the body vividly, with blood pooling out, calmly, slowly.
Her nose burns.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
All sense of safety gone.
She remembered how familiar his presence felt, how scared—yet safe — she'd felt. She'd always wanted to know if he was real, what he looked like, what he wanted.
The strange feeling of ease his shadow brings.
But now she wished she hadn't wished it all. To see him
