- 10.
I bit my lip, pretending to think.
“Rory came to my room last night. She
wanted to drink the soup. I had to let her. She
drank it all, then fell asleep in my bed.”
I looked down, pouting.
Г
“You know I can’t sleep with anyone in my
bed, Mom. When I saw Rory asleep, I went to
the spare room.”
I blinked, looking pathetic.
Mom looked devastated. “How could this
happen? How could this happen?”
Of course it happened.
It was all part of my plan.
Last time, Mom gave me that soup. I thought
she was finally being nice.
I drank every drop.
Soon, I couldn’t think straight.
<
I thought I was just tired and went to bed.
But the next morning, my body was covered
in bruises, and Mr. Peabody was lying next to
- me.
Mom “happened” to burst in and brought all
the neighbors with her.
Everyone thought I had to marry Mr. Peabody.
Mr. Peabody pushed Mom off him and ran,
yelling, “Help! Murder! Martha’s trying to kill
me! Help me! Help me!”
The neighbors, hearing him scream and
seeing Mom with the bloody bat, rushed
forward.
They pinned Mom to the ground, and I hid
behind Mikey, “afraid.”
Mr. Peabody, seeing Mom subdued, started
strutting around.
He waved the bat in her face.
“Who’s the boss now, you crazy old woman?”
Just then, Rory ran out of the house, naked.
She stood next to Mom, drooling and
giggling.
“Mommy, mommy, hungry, mommy hungry.”
Some of the younger girls screamed and
covered their eyes. The older women took off
their coats and put them around her.
く
Her body was covered in bruises. Everyone
knew what had happened.
Mr. Peabody was tackled to the ground.
“Let me go! It was her idea! Martha told me
to do it! Martha, tell them!” Mr. Peabody
yelled.
Mom, seeing Rory, went crazy.
“Rory! Rory! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”
She hugged Rory, crying, and started blurting
out terrible secrets.
