Chapter 7 - The Confrontation
Heavy, urgent footsteps pounded back down the hallway.
Elara stepped squarely into the kitchen doorway, blocking the light.
She held a tiny, squirming bundle tightly against her chest, wrapped in a faded, washed-out yellow blanket.
Leo’s face was beet-red, his tiny fists clenched into tight, shaking balls.
His mouth was wide open in an endless, breathless scream.
Elara marched straight toward the dining table, her gait predatory and rigid.
She didn't stop until her toes bumped against Martha's shoes.
Martha leaned back abruptly, startled by the sudden, aggressive proximity.
The floral shoulder of her blouse pressed hard against the wooden back of the chair.
Elara thrust the screaming baby forward, stopping just an inch short of Martha’s face.
Tears streamed freely down Elara’s cheeks, mixing with the sweat and exhaustion etched into her skin.
Her chest heaved violently.
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The red swelling marks were highly visible, angry and inflamed beneath her collar.
She was a live wire, sparking, dangerous, and ready to snap.
