Prologue
May 10th, 2026 | 5:21pm
Gulp. May never felt so cold. Plus, I’ve never seen it get so dark before six. I felt so powerless—like an NPC with no say, no voice, no reason—someone else had been pulling the strings.
I don’t even know what’s real anymore. But this weight…this weight feels like the realest thing I’ve felt this past year.
I don’t know which one is heavier—the weight of anguish that I feel in my chest or the weight in my hands. I’m not a murderer. At least, I don’t want to be, but who will right this wrong? Who will put an end to this heartache? This abuse? This injustice? This man was supposed to be my father. The betrayal. The lies!
I stood there, pointing the gun at my father, completely disconnected from the world. An unideal triangle—my mom to my right, my aunt to my left, and my father right in front of me. My thoughts, racing faster than my heart. My palms, sweaty, gripping the gun so tight just to keep it from slipping. The sounds of thunder echoed in my subconscious as my tears blended into the raindrops running down my face. My face twitched from distress. It felt like a sledgehammer had been forced into my back and straight through my chest. So much hurt. You could see the depth of my soul in my eyes. The world blurred around me, leaving one clear laser-focused view of my father.
“Baby, I can explain…” Caleb spoke hesitantly.
“Shut up! Just don’t speak!” I yelled.
“Minty! Minty, baby, think about your future!” Coretta exclaimed fearfully.
That statement made me halfway chuckle.
“What future?” I yelled. “You know as well as I know that my life is changed forever! There’s no turning back now!”
“Mi-mi?” Caleb cried.
I lightly pinched the trigger and gave him a blank stare. “Don’t you dare call me that! Don’t even think it.”
Vera slowly started to walk towards me, pleading and speaking calmly. “Sweetie, we all love you. Put the gun d…”
I quickly pointed the gun at Vera, causing her to stop cold, as everything around me unblurred.
Coretta put her hand up toward Vera. “Do you really think you’re the one that needs to speak to her right now?”
Then, she looked at me, standing there distressed, with one hand out to the side and another on her head. “Baby, he’s not worth it. Neither of them are.”
Caleb put one foot forward. “I ju-”
I pointed the gun back at Caleb. My finger tightened on the trigger.
“No!” “Don’t do it baby!” “Please don’t!” Vera and Caleb shouted at once. Deep fear in their eyes.
You would think I’d be trembling. But the truth is, I’m not. Not even a quiver.
Maybe this is the only way out.
