Category: STORY

“Let her try,” the barefoot boy said, reaching toward the girl’s hand.

“Let her try standing,” the barefoot boy said, reaching for the girl’s hand.

“Let her try standing,” the barefoot boy said, reaching toward the girl’s hand.

“Take my hand, Clara—you can stand up for this song just like you did at the clinic,” the barefoot boy said, cutting straight through the string quartet’s waltz.

“Please let her try,” the barefoot boy said, holding out his hand.

“Take my hand, Clara, because you can do the five-count stand just like at the garden gate,” the boy said, stepping bare-toed onto the honey-colored oak parquet.

“Take my hand, Clara, you can stand up right here,” the barefoot boy said, thrusting his grime-smudged palm straight toward the armrest.

“You can stand up for the song, Maya—I saw you do it by the garden rail,” the barefoot boy said, stepping across the gleaming floor and reaching his open hand toward her.

Ethan’s open palm struck Claire Bennett across the cheek with a sharp, sickening crack.