Page 94 of I Am Sin

My heart nearly stops as it drops to my stomach.

The spaghetti I just ate threatens to erupt from my mouth.

What the fuck?

I quickly hit the number to call it back.

It rings, rings, rings…

But no one answers. Not that I expect anyone to.

How do you trace a call? How do you find where a number originated?

I don’t have a fucking clue, but Diana might.

Griffin is screaming.

I’m only nine years old, but I’m so close to my little sister, and our rooms are right next to each other. Mom and Dad’s room is on the other side of the small house.

So I get there first.

I get there first.

“It hurts, Dragon. It hurts!”

Blood.

Blood on her sheets, on her body, her pajamas—her pink flannel pajamas with blue hearts on them. Blood dripping from a cut on her round little cheek.

I can’t speak. I only look.

Something…

Someone hurt Griffin.

Her window is open. That’s how they must’ve gotten into her room.

There’s a cut on her face, right down her cheek.

Another one on her shoulder.

Another one on her belly.

I freeze for a moment. Unsure what to do.

Tears are streaming down my sweet baby sister’s face. “Help me, Dragon! Help me!”

On her nightstand, next to her bed, is a bloody knife.

I pick it up. Look at it.

That’s when my parents walk in.

Griffin went into shock after that. She wouldn’t talk. Couldn’t talk. Went numb, her eyes glazed over.

I screamed and cried and told my parents I hadn’t done it.

But you were holding the knife, they said.

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