Prologue
The sound of gravel crunching under the tires of my godmother's minivan is all that consumes my thoughts. Never mind the baby crying. Never mind her preadolescent daughter gossiping away on the phone with her best friend. All there is is gravel.
We pull up to the Winford County Hospital and I look up. I look at the kids. Nothing seems to be wrong. I pulled at the sleeves of my sweater and remain in my seat.
"Why are we here, mommy?" Isabella asks her frazzled looking mother.
She was silent. Bella's question went unanswered. And it made the same question burn in my mind with a fiery intensity. Other than the consistent clicking of Bella's cell phone, it's silent. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the baby started screaming. I stretched across the car and retrieved the projectile pacifier which is obviously what the child wants. I clean it off and put it in her mouth. When I readjust in my seat Isabella is staring at the place on my stomach that had just been exposed.
"C'mon Hailen." My godfather says as he opens his door and exit the vehicle.
"Wha-why?" I barley manage to stutter.
But I knew why. Of course I knew. How could I have been so stupid as to believe that they didn't know? I unlatched the seatbelt from around my waist, put my phone in my pocket, and opened the door. I got out and readjusted my sweatshirt. Again, I found myself hearing only the sound of crunching gravel under my feet as Sean pulled me to a standstill and forced me to make eye contact.
"Did you hear what I said, boy?" He demanded sharply.
"No sir."
"Do you know why you're here, son?" He asked sincerely.
Sean was a large, bearded man who always had grease on his scowling face. I stared into his cold, tired eyes as I answered him.
"I cut"
