She dangled precariously out over the ravine. Her arms ached from clutching the dead tree branch that had broken her fall. She could still hear the scattering of small rocks bouncing down the side of the cliff. But had she really fallen or was she pushed? She took a deep, shaky breath, her heart pounding Read More …

She moved silently down the hall, making sure to avoid the creaking floorboards. At the age of nine, she had almost perfected “being seen and not heard.” Though, her heart still pounded loudly in her chest, screaming to let the rage out. She paused just outside the living room, listening. There was the sound of Read More …

She dug her elbows deep into the muck, pulling herself forward and further under the old, abandoned farmhouse. To keep from groaning, she bit into the dirty, oil rag tied over her mouth. Her wrists and ankles were raw from the ropes that still held them together. Only minutes before, she had noticed the door Read More …

She woke with a jerk. Pain shot through her body. Where was she? It was dark. She saw lights and heard beeping. As her eyes adjusted, she realized she was in a hospital room, alone. The door opened and a nurse walked in with a smile. “You’re awake.” She watched as the nurse checked her Read More …

Nayeli sat at the small kitchen table, eating crackers with peanut butter on them and watching her foster mom out of the corner of her eye. Her foster mom rummaged through her backpack, sighing or knitting her brows together each time she picked up a new piece of paper. She flipped open a shiny red Read More …