Rain’s voice grew dropped into a low, hollow whisper, her eyes fixed on the blue mat beneath them. "If he had killed my parents when I wasn't there..." She paused, her breath catching violently in her throat before she forced the words out. "...maybe it would've been different. Maybe I could lie to myself. But he did it right in front of me."

She lowered her eyes completely, her small shoulders trembling as her fingers dug so hard into the plastic water bottle that it crunched loudly under her grip.