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“You were born and raised here You were one of us, once upon a tiood for us” Despite my best efforts, my lip trembles God, does it tremble

His fingers tighten around ly, “Billy…”

“Ghost,” he whispers

My face slams into the table before I can brace myself

Pain explodes in the side of h that it didn’t break my nose

Sotable

Keeping iving surface haswith unconcealed pain Tears prick my eyes and threaten to leak I don’t want to shoeakness I don’t want to, but Billy has a special way of drawing it out of you anyway

Barbie backs up a few steps, unease etched in her wrinkles

“Where have you been?” he whispers, his tone deceptively calm There’s a torch lit inside his bloodstream Billy’s pissed

Anger bursts inside of oddamn hellhole Why the fuck do I come back? Why did I buy this stupid ass house, and why do I continue to hold it overto Mako and myself when I said that

Shallow Hill is ingrained in my bones, and bones won’t survive without the marrow

“Hell is not a horit out “It’s only a place I come to visit”

“It is ho as the reins on his temper start to slip “You’re stained, River This place is a stain on our soul, and it won’t ever come out”

I’er It’s not smart to talk back to Billy

“Did you try?” I challenge, squeezing my eyes shut in pain when he presses my head down further So badly, I want to cry out I’nity