The World Never Ended novel · Chapter 15 of 24

Chapter 15: Sisters

"Alone," Audra said again through the steel. "Or I take them out the other door."

"There is no other door," I said.

"You'd be surprised what he added."

Shane stood behind me in the corridor, and I felt him decide not to speak.

"Stay here," I said to him.

"Cora."

"If I'm not out in ten minutes, break it down."

He nodded once, slowly, and I heard the bolt slide back on the other side.

The door opened, and I walked into the room where I had spent the worst of my life.

It was the same.

The bunk, the bucket, the camera in the corner with its red light off.

My sister sat on the bunk in her ruined cream dress, with her hair coming out of its pins.

She had the baby asleep on her shoulder.

My daughter lay on the blanket beside her in the yellow duck dress, with her thumb in her mouth.

I went to the bed in two strides.

"Give me my children."

"In a minute."

"Audra."

"Please," she said.

There were no tears in her voice and no performance.

"Five minutes. Then I'll give you both."

I did not sit.

I stood over my sister with my hands shaking, and I let her talk.

I wanted to hear what she sounded like when she told the truth.

"I stepped off the stairs on purpose," Audra said.

"I know. I watched you."

"I wanted you gone."

"Why?"

"I was ten when you came into my room with your hair brushed and offered me your bear."

"I gave you the bear because I was glad to have a sister."

"I knew that. I knew they would always love you first."

She flinched at her own words, but she kept going.

"Dean found me crying in the pantry the week before," she said.

"He said he could fix it."

"He said if I took one small fall, you would be sent away for it."

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