The Locked Room

The smell permeated the carpet deeply, and despite shampooing the stain and washing my linens, the ghostly stench persisted through the mattress. After only a few months of living together, it became clear that our relationship had reached its inevitable end. I enjoy snoozing in vacant homes owned by others. Being somewhere no one would think to look for me gives me a sense of security. I could tell Louis was disappointed when I broke up with him around the end of the summer, but I figured he'd move on.

Louis: He was familiar with me. And that was plenty for him to become a persistent figure. When Louis started appearing in places where he wasn't wanted, I started to notice faces in the shadows once more. My muscles would tense as I lay there on my stomach, reading Caroline B. Cooney by penlight and listening for the back door to open. Mom and Iain soon fell out.

Dettagli