“Mommy”I whisper into the heavy darkness of the bedroom. My voice is small, barely more than a breath. I hesitate, my bare feet frozen on the cold wooden floor as I glance back down the hallway. My room is too far. Too dark. Too open. I don’t want her to be mad at me again for waking her, but….

A soft creak echoes from behind me.

My bedroom door is opening. Slowly. Too slowly.

My stomach twists...