I didn’t make it more than three steps before I froze. “No.” I didn’t recognize the voice, even though I felt it come from me. It was strangled, inhuman. My feet propelled me forward, but I fell to my knees. Into a pool of blood. It wasn’t bright red like in the movies. It was deeper. Almost closer to brown. And it spilled out of my mother, surrounding her. Her violet eyes were open, unblinking. “Mom,” I croaked, my hands hovering over her. What did I do? How did I help? There was a hole in her chest. Right over where her heart should’ve been.
