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Landon

Eight years ago

I ith a jerk, screa

‘Nurse!’ someone called out ‘Nurse!’ A face leaned over me Cindy Heller, Mom’s best friend ‘Landon, honey – it’s okay You’re safe Shh, you’re safe’

Safe? Where?

I felt her cool fingertips on my arm and tried to focus as her red-rimmed eyes filled with tears She bit her lower lip so hard it was colourless and treht and then smoothed back out

Her husband Charles appeared next to her, one arainst hiht over without his reinforcement

His opposite hand ar it ‘You’re safe, son Your dad is on his way’ His voice sounded grainy, and his eyes were red, too ‘He’ll be here soon’

A nurse e, but before I could pull away, she stuck it into a bag suspended fro fro looped down I kneas attached to me when I felt whatever she’d just injected into it, like I’d been shot with a tranquillizer gun

Gun

Mom

‘Mom!’ I said, butto close ‘Mom! Mom!’

Cindy couldn’t bite her lip hard enough to stifle the sob that escaped Tears overflowed and trailed down her cheeks I couldn’t feel her touching me anyup to cover her mouth – too late to muffle another sob

The pressure of Charles’s hand direw fuzzier ‘Landon, sleep now Your father will be here as soon as he can I’ you’

His face becaether, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open

Mom! I screamed her name in my head, Mom! Mom … Mom …

But I already knew she wouldn’t have heard ine