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She curled herself beside the tree again, her gray dress loose on her tiny body and her hands clasped tight as she silentlyIt sounded like a prayer I listened closer as she rocked back and forth, tears springing froive ive me, Lord, for I have sinned I eak and must atone”

“T-talk tostronger as I shook the fence, trying to find soh to her I didn’t understand it, but for sos right She was so sad… so scared… I hated it

The girl grew still, hushed to silence, and just watched ain

“River? Where the fk are you?” My pop’s deep voice cut me from my trance as he called me back from deep in the forest

I dropped my head in my hands

Not now, not now!

Straining irl, I rushed out, “T-tell lanced over e of the forest in the distance, searching for me

“Puh… puh… p-please… a n-na…”

The chick rocked faster, her pale lips ain in her prayer

“River! You have five seconds to get the fk down here! Don’t fkin’ test me!”

“A n-na you!”

The chick stopped dead still, looked up at h me—her blue eyes weirdly wide, and whispered, “My name is Sin We are all sin”

She choked on her words, expelling a frightened whi fro into the heavy bush, she scra out loudly as though in pain again

“No! Don’t go!” I shouted clearly to her retreating form, but it was too late I stepped back fro dress disappear into the darkness of the forest An e, but then ers touched my lips in shock My speech… my speech for the first tio…

“River!!!”

I turned quickly, running down the hill toward my pop

“RIVER!!!”

Pu back toif I’d ever see Sin again…

…the chick with the wolf eyes

Chapter One

Salome

Fifteen years later…

Run, run, just keep running…