Page 11 of Molt

“Go.” he growls.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t fucking lie to me.” I snap. Why can’t he just fucking tell me what the hell is going on.

“Go home.”

“No.” I say shoving past him.

This time he doesn’t stop me.

Maybe because he knows I’ve already seen enough.

The apartment smells strange like dust, old paper and something metallic but there’s also something sweet underneath it all.

My eyes roam the room then land on the jars that are arranged chronologically. I realize that before I understand what I’m seeing.

Dates with small handwritten labels. 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924…

Names I don’t recognize. Some labels have faded beyond reading.

Inside the jars are pale things suspended in clear liquid. Hair, teeth, nails and something that looks like bone.

I cover my mouth. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

August stands behind me. I can feel him close but he doesn’t answer.

Then I see the shelf closest to the window.

Older jars with older labels.

My eyes move across them.

1908.1909. 1910.Then 1897.

My heart stops.

The jar is small. Inside is a folded piece of pale tissue. Three thin white lines cross one edge.

My scar.

I can’t breathe.

The label is written in faded black ink with my name in the center. LENORA

Below it… SPECIMEN 08

And beneath that…1897

I stare at it until the numbers blur.

“No.” I shake my head as tears fall down my cheeks.

August says nothing.

So I turn around. “What is this?”