Chapter 38: State Criminal

She had been afraid she would no longer think of him as someone she loved but as a stranger or even someone she hated, she was afraid she would damage him; and she had buried the thought deep deep down where she could not get to it. Now her mother threatened her with those same fears and it scared her, broke her because she knew just how easy Mrs. Michaels could manipulate her, Joan Michaels.

*

She tried hard not to cry. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that her life would become the way it was, that she would be afraid of her own mother. She felt alone, she was alone... So was King... In his coma.

He wasn't safe in the hospital. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that her mother was harmless... the uneasy feeling didn't leave her. She treasured King more at that moment... And there was the unknown... What exactly did they want?

She itched her hair, fighting back tears. She really was alone, she had no one to turn to for help, no one at ... She paused, rememb