Page 1 of When We Burn

Prologue

DANI

Twelve Years Old

“DANI!”

Oh, no. No, no, no.

I made him mad.Again.

My heart is pounding in my ears, and I think I’m going to throw up.

Hide, Dani.

No, I can’t hide. It’ll only make things way worse if he has to look for me.

I poke my head around the side of the living room, looking into the kitchen, and swallow hard when Dad’s eyes narrow on me.

“You didn’t do your chores this morning.”

“I d-d-did. I just forgot the eggs.” Bythe time I utter the last word, it’s hardly audible, and he’s stomping toward me. Oh, God.Please don’t do this, Dad.

I cringe when he takes me by the shoulders and gives me a shake. How I wish Holden was here.

“You’re worthless,” Dad spits into my face. I can smell beer on him, even though it’s before nine in the morning. “You’renothing.I should kill you, just like I did your fucking whore of a mother.”

I can’t stop the sob that comes out of my throat, and that only makes him madder.

“Oh, are you going tocry? Of course, you are, you stupid bitch. Well, then I’ll give you something to cry about.”

“No!”

He stops, and I cringe. Talking back is the absolute worst thing to do. He tugs me even closer, his nose almost touching mine.

“You think you can fucking sass me, you little cunt?”

I whimper, and that horrible smile slithers over his face.I might die today.I almost wish I would because then this wouldn’t happen to me again.

“Guess it’s time to teach you a lesson.”

I want to plead, to beg for him not to do this. But it wouldn’t do any good because my father is a monster. He’s worse than anything that could be thought up in movies or books.

He’s the devil.

With something between a snarl and a laugh, he grabs my hair and yanks me, striding fast through the kitchen.

He’s not going to just run the faucet over my face this time?

Oh, God. Mom, if you’re in heaven, I think I’m coming to see you today.

He busts through the back door, still dragging me. I can vaguely hear my sisters crying. I don’t know where they came from. My eyes are wild as I try to see, to look around us. I think that’s Darby running toward the barn, and I hope with all my might that Dad doesn’t see her because she’ll get it next.

We’re not allowed to go to the barn.

Dad’s yelling, but I don’t understand the words through the rushing of blood in my ears. I can see the pond now. The pond that’s so dirty, so filthy and full of snakes and bugs that none of us will go near it. But right now, my choice has been taken away. Again.

The next thing I know, my head is being held under the water, and all I can hear is the bubbles in my ears. I hold my breath as long as I can, and just when I think I have to take a breath, I’m pulled out, and Dad’s face is in mine again.

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