“Squeaky didn’t need you! Olivia, you can’t do this every time one of your pets dies. I skirted around her and dropped to my knees. I squeezed my eyes shut, mentally stringing together as many cuss words I could think of. The very same shoebox I’d used to bury Squeaky in the backyard last night. The shoebox in her lap was covered in filth. Brown flakes of soil spotted the crisp cotton, and dirt sprinkled her little arms and chubby fingers. Somehow I managed a smile as my eyes fell over her nightgown. “Squeaky got scared when I brought him back in the house. Her green eyes were wet with tears, shining like glittering emeralds.

There were times Olivia scared the crap out of me. I moved around the bed even though I wanted to turn and run. You’re gonna be so mad.”ĭreaded words from a five-year-old, but I already knew what she’d done. “Ember? I did something bad this morning. Then, in the ultimate act of weirdness, she’d scribbled the word “SEE” across the doll’s forehead. Olivia had taken a Sharpie to the doll’s face, marking out the eyes. I forgot about the hamster as I stared down at the doll. Stepping into the room, I tripped over one of her baby dolls. With her back to the door and head bowed, Olivia sat on the floor. Early morning light spilled into the bedroom, casting shadows over Olivia’s slight frame. Her door hung cracked open, and my gaze fell first to her bed. My heart was still thumping when I slowed outside my little sister’s bedroom. I ran from the room, wanting to scream again. I jumped off the bed, almost face-planting into the worn-out carpet in the process. Startled, the hamster scurried off my chest and disappeared under the covers. Specks of dirt covered my nightshirt, and bits of gravel clung to my bedspread. There was a hamster perched on my chest, its white-and-brown fur covered in grime.

But I certainly didn’t expect to be staring into washed-out, ghostly blue eyes. Maybe it was because I’d just had the best dream of my life. I wasn’t sure why I expected to be looking into the baby blues of some hot guy when I opened my eyes. Something soft and warm-definitely hand-sized-settled on my chest, and then moved to the right, headed uphill.

Armentrout cursed