I woke to screaming.
High pitched. Terrified. A child's scream that shot ice through my veins.
I bolted upright. Disoriented. Dark room. Unfamiliar shadows.
The cabin. Ethan's cabin.
Another scream. Lily.
I was out of bed before I could think. Down the hallway in bare feet. Following the sound.
Lily's door was cracked open. A nightlight cast everything in soft blue.
She thrashed in her bed. Tangled in blankets. Sobbing. "Mommy. Mommy, don't go. Please don't go."
My chest constricted.
I should get Ethan. This wasn't my place. Wasn't my daughter.
But she was crying. Hurting. And I couldn't just stand there.
I moved to the bed. Sat on the edge. "Lily. Hey, it's okay. You're okay."
She didn't wake. Kept crying. Reaching for something that wasn't there.
I touched her shoulder. Gent
