It started with a tooth.

We were all sitting at the table. Our foster parents, my sister Emily and I. Emily kept looking off into the woods as she got cursed out about her failing grades. All of this was nothing new but something shook her and I could tell something had changed. Reflecting through the dining room window I could see her franticly pushing around her mouth with her tongue. I could see something bend and loosen. I saw her eyes widen when she’d finally had enough. That’s when I saw the tooth drop into her bowl. She leapt from her chair and began shouting “SU BALTU INA BABKA” “SU BALTU INA BABKA” she kept repeating it over and over as blood spat out her mouth and trickled down her chin. Arthur smacked her across the face. Grinning, she sat down “May I be excused” she said and rushed to her room. She never came out.

It only got worse in time,more beatings, more blood. Our foster father said he’d call the hospital when the bruises healed, they never did. One night her door cracked open, I peered in. Her bed was empty except for a blackened stain that had spread to the floor. The air was thick with a taste of copper and salt. My eyes traced along the darkness of the floor and that’s when I saw her, curled in the corner, weeping, trying to push her teeth back in. I slammed the door shut and ran.

The next day I called the hospital from my schools payphone. I met them at my house and lead them inside. Arthur tried his best to convince them I was lying but the paramedics pushed him aside. I lead them to Emily’s room… They never came out. I stood by the door as our foster parents packed their bags. I sat by the door as the gurgled screams from Emily’s room finally stopped. I lay by the door as blood pooled and reached out for me.

No one is coming.

Nothing can save us.