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He turns to face my aunt “No!” she screams “Please …” She shakes violently as tears run down her face, s the ht them on their way out to dinner to celebrate fifteen years of e

“Strip,” my father orders

“Please …!” She sobs, shaking her head

“Remove your dress Now!” he shouts

Using thefor support, she slowly gets to her feet With shaky hands, she undoes the hook that holds her dress around her neck It falls down her chest, sto around her black heels Her frail body shakes as she covers her bare breasts with her arms

My father smiles at her, obviously happy hat he sees Or what he doesn’t see A wire So infors that have gotten back to my father were spot-on, so if she wasn’t the snitch, then her husband was

He walks over to her, grips her auburn hair, and jerks her head back Placing the gun under her chin, he shows no emotion as she closes her eyes and sobs uncontrollably “You keep your goddamn mouth shut; do you understand me?”

She begins to nod, but he shoves her head back farther with the barrel of the gun

“Fucking say it, Ava!” he growls in her face

“Keep … my … mouth … shut,” she chokes out

He releases her, and she cries out when he shoves her to the floor once again Turning to faceover to me, he says, “Never let anyone stand in your way, son Not even fucking blood They’ll be the first to undercut you, and they should be the first to die for it”

_______________

Twenty-two years old

Theas it blows through the tall trees on this lorious Friday My heart pounds with adrenaline

Anticipation

The sound of screa tome know I’m close to my destination But as much as I like the sound, I don’t need it I knohere he is because I set the traps

A week ago, my father calledBut this isn’t the kind of hunt where you hang your kill on the wall as a trophy to impress others No, this is the kind you let the wild animals feast on and then leave to rot once you’ve trapped your prey