Page 16 of Boys Who Hunt

I putmy bag on the counter and lock the door, but when two warm hands envelop me, I jolt up and down.

“Ivy!”

Smiling, I turn around and kneel for little Cora, whose hands barely fit around my body.

“Hey, sweetie,” I murmur. “What are you doing out of bed? It’s way past your bedtime.”

“I couldn’t sleep. I miss you,” she says, rubbing her little face into me.

“I missed you too,” I say, hugging her tight. “How was your day?”

“Mrs. Schwartz is mean. I don’t like her.”

I sigh. “I’m sorry. I’ll ask her to be a bit nicer.”

I wish I didn’t have to leave her with my neighbor every day, but I have to work and study so I can at least provide us with a better future.

“Can you tell her I don’t like peanut butter on my sandwich?”

I frown. “What? You don’t like peanut butter? Since when.”

She shakes her head. “Not anymore. I want chocolate cereal and milk.”

I rub my lips together. “I get that … it’s just that it’s very expensive.”

She pouts and averts her eyes, and I know she’s disappointed. So am I. This life was not the one I had envisioned.

I place my hands on her shoulders. “You know what? Once I get that next check from the club, I’m going to get you some chocolate cereal.”

The pure spark of hope in her eyes makes this all worth it. “Really?”

I nod, and she hugs me even tighter.

“Thank you!”

I rub her back, knowing full well I will have to keep my promise now, no matter how much it costs me. The only problem is that check will never provide enough for us to afford that expensive brand of cereal.

This means I’ll have to employ different means to get my hands on that kind of money.

She yawns against my shoulder, and when I push her back, she’s rubbing her eyes.

“C’mon,” I say, and I pick her up. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

“Wait, but I want Rosey with me!” she pleads.

I roll my eyes and pick up the plastic flower from the table. “Here she is.”

She hugs the flower like it’s some kind of stuffed toy. Adorable.

I put her down on the only bed we have and lie down next to her on the second pillow, pulling the blanket over us while the small light next to the bed stays on so I can watch her fall asleep.

I cherish moments like these the most, a sliver of happiness in the daily storm of life.

And I find myself slipping away, just like her, into a deep sleep filled with waking nightmares.

Pools and pools of blood.

My vision becomes cloudy as the red puddles growing on the floor beneath me stain my eyes.