- 13.
She grabbed Rory’s neck and started choking
her. Rory struggled, her face turning red.
“Mommy, hurt, mommy…”
“I can’t take care of you anymore,” Mom said.
“When I go to jail, people will hurt you. It’s
better if I take you with me. Then, no one can
hurt you.”
The neighbors rushed forward, trying to pry
く
her hands loose, but they were locked in
place.
When Rory was pulled away, she wasn’t
breathing.
The air was still.
A woman trembled, reaching for Rory’s nose,
then jumped back, white–faced.
“She’s dead! She’s dead!”
“Martha killed her!”
Her voice broke the silence.
People were yelling and running around, but
Mom just sat there, staring at Rory.
Her eyes were blank, almost happy.
It was over.
The police arrived and took them away.
The law was fair.
Mr. Peabody got seven years for sexual
assault, and Mom got fifteen years for
conspiracy to commit sexual assault and
murder.
After Mom went to jail, Mikey and I were
finally at peace.
Uncle Joe aged ten years overnight.
The day after Mom was arrested, he told my
grandparents everything. Then, he filed a
<
grandparents everything. Then, he filed a
restraining order, and they disowned her.
Mikey and I, with Uncle Joe’s help, went to
good colleges and graduated.
We studied what we loved and worked
towards a brighter future.
Mom went insane in prison, crying that she
needed to take care of her daughter.
Of course, she wasn’t talking about me.
Without her, our lives were wonderful.
Mikey and I both had bright futures.
