Page 1 of Wraith

Prologue

My shoulder hurts bad.Mama pulled too hard this time. She took me to the hospital because I wouldn’t stop crying. The nice lady gave me something sweet on a stick. She called it a sucker. It was good, but I ate it too fast and now my tummy is grumbling. I wanted to ask for another but we left so fast I never got the chance.

It’s cold in Mommy’s car. She keeps complaining that her heater doesn’t work. I’m watching her now as she stands outside, arms curled close around her like I have mine. She is talking to a man who keeps looking back at me through the window. He’s in a suit, like the men in the commercials I see on the TV in Mommy’s room. He’s taller than Mommy too. A lot taller. “Get out of the car, Stevie,” Mommy tells me when she comes back and opens the door. She yanks on the arm that doesn't hurt, making it hurt too. “You are going to go with this man.”

“But I don’t want to, Mommy. I want to go home!” I struggle to pull away, but it only makes her more mad. She jerks again, like she did before, making more tears flow down my face.

“Shut up and go!” she shouts, “This is all your fault, Steven. If you wouldn’t have hurt your arm, I wouldn’t have to get rid of you. Now the cops will be coming to take you away and I won't get paid for you anymore,” she says, not making any sense. “Get out of the car!” she yells, and I cry harder as I crawl out of the car, wrapping my arms around myself. It’s cold, and I only have on my pajamas and the socks I got from the hospital.

“How old did you say?” the suit man asks.

“Four. He’s a little small—”

“I’m not much in the market for babies,” the man says, looking me over.

“Please, you have to take him. I need the money.”

“Fine. But you are only getting five. No more.” He reaches into his suit coat and grabs out an envelope. Mommy snatches it, then gets back in the car. I try to go after her, but the man grabs the back of my pajama shirt, holding me back.

“Mommy! Don't leave me!” I scream, but she doesn’t stop. “Please, Mommy! I’ll be good. It doesn’t hurt any more, Mommy! Please!” I cry, but it doesn’t bring her back, and it only makes the suit man mad.

“Shut up, boy,” he snaps, and pulls my arm, dragging me to another car before opening the door and tossing me inside. I land hard on my hurt arm and start to choke on my tears, but the man doesn’t care. He only yells at me to be quiet. I try my best by pressing my teeth into my bottom lip and end up biting a hole through. The same taste I get when Mommy hits me fills my mouth. I need to be quiet. If I’m good maybe Mommy will come back.

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