The Only One Left

by Riley Sager

She’s capable of so little yet accused of so much, and I remain torn between wanting to protect her and the urge to suspect her.

But I knew that looks could be deceiving. And that even prisons could appear lovely if lit the right way.

You want to know if I’m as evil as everyone says I am. The answer is no. And yes.

I hover in the doorway a moment—waiting, hoping, silently pleading for more. Anything will do. Goodbye. Good riddance. Fuck off. Anything but this hostile silence that makes me feel like nothing. Worse than nothing. Invisible.

“Here, we give young women accused of terrible deeds the benefit of the doubt.”

It doesn’t matter that I lied to Mrs. Baker. Not just about my previous patient.

“That’s the biggest thing we have in common,” I finally say. “That everyone thinks I also killed my mother.”