Page 297 of Fatality

“I want to see it.” I rasp, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ren's eyes flick between me and Evren.

After a moment's hesitation, he turns toward the Smart Panel mounted on the wall.

The display flickers to life.

Floating screens bloom into existence as his fingers fly across the interface.

The photographs appear on one screen.

On another, holograms of my parents materialize, their recorded testimonies beginning to play as they describe the ‘accident.’

My knees nearly give out again.

I see Kyle, the drone footage of the crash, the medics' photographs. Me covered in blood but the worst are Kyle's lifeless body photos.

Then his body laid out on the examination table.

I lower my head and bury my face in the crook of Evren's arm.

I can't look at my brother's lifeless body. He already died in my arms. If I look at those pictures, I'm going to break down completely.

And there is no way I'm falling apart here.

I hear my father all of a sudden.

His voice is stoic, but there's a faint edge beneath it and my mother's is broken by quiet sobs.

My father tells the Enforcers that if I'd never run downstairs, none of this would have happened.

Tears well up into my eyes but I refuse to shed them.

I was expecting it, I was expecting my father to blame me.

After all, he's been doing it ever since.

When I finally lift my eyes, Ren has backed away, far away.

I don't understand at first. Why would Ren put so much distance between us?

Then it hits me.

Evren hasn't said a word, he's been far too silent for far too long.

I try to twist out of his hold, it's like struggling against steel.

“Evren,” I gasp. “Let go.”

“No.” He refuses, like always but his voice is too calm.

That flat, controlled tone makes my skin crawl.

“Please.”

He looks down at me.

Then, with stiff, almost mechanical movements, he opens his arm and lets me go.