Read Every Shattered Thing (Come Alive) for Free Online Page A

window, glancing back at me in concern. “It’s pretty dark outside, Steph. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?
    You didn’t have the van when you got here and that’s a long way to walk.”
    I’m almost out the door but I stop and turn around to give her a smirk. “No offense, Emma, but I’m pretty sure I can handle myself. There’s not much out there I haven’t seen.”
    Emma rolls her eyes and calls out at my retreating figure. “It’s not you seeing these things that bother me, Stephanie. It’s running into them time and time again without changing your scenery.
    According to Einstein, that’s the sign of insanity.”
    I laugh and shake my head, letting her know I hear every word she said. Bracing myself against the cold, I steel myself for whatever I find when I walk through the front door of my own home.
    She doesn’t let me get past her driveway. Running outside with Benjamin already bundled in a blanket, she jangles her keys and motions for me to get in her Jeep.
    “I’m driving, Steph. I don’t care what you do at night or how many times you’ve walked these streets. You’re not walking them with me knowing you’re out there when I could have taken you home.”
    She smiles and places her son in his car seat, careful not to wake him. The air is getting colder. I can feel the dampness of the night sky descending on the neighborhood. I twitch from a sudden chill and wrap my jacket closer against my chest. Climbing into the passenger side, I put on my seatbelt and rub my legs for warmth. Emma opens her door and starts the ignition, heat blasting immediately from the vents.
    I’m an independent person. I have to be. There aren’t very many people I can truly count on, even though that number is slowly increasing. Every once in awhile, though, it’s a great feeling to let myself be cared for and know someone is concerned. Watching Emma drive, I’m suddenly glad she decided to take me home.

Chapter Four
    My brother is waiting for me when I walk in the door.
    “Sissy, where have you been?!” he whispers as I pick him to give him a hug. He pulls my ear towards his mouth and says, “Dad is mad again. This time at mom. She can’t be friends with Tyler anymore. Dad went to the store and told mom Tyler better be gone when he gets back. Mom is in the kitchen crying.” Pacey looks around and rubs his eyes and reaches around my neck. Playing with my hair, he sighs and shakes his head, “Tyler’s still here...he scary. Made mom cry.”
    My heart sinks. I close my eyes and ache for my brother. By the way he’s clinging to my arms, he’s just seen dad hit some thing or some one since he got home from work. I glance wearily around the living room and head towards my room when I hear her yelling.
    “Tyler! I. Can’t. Leave. Don’t you get it?! I can’t leave him. He’d find us. He’d find you. I’m stuck here.”
    “Like hell you are.” a deep voice answers back and I hear footsteps rushing down the hallway toward the living room. They’re heavy—I envision work boots stained with mud and grime leaving marks on mom’s precious carpet. I hear the ragged breath of someone behind us and I grow cold.
    Shielding Pacey from whatever is coming, I turn around and gasp. Looking at Tyler’s bloodshot eyes, I’m filled with intense fear. And he has a gun. He’s waving it around and his eyes are twitching and nothing is right. He isn’t right.
    I’m frozen to the floor. Pacey begins shrieking in my ear for momma and despite my attempts to protect him, I am no match to his young body writhing free from my grip. He sees Tyler. He sees the gun.
    His eyes go wild and he screams.
    “MOMMA! MOMMA! MOMMA! Where are you?! MOMMA! MOMMA! MOMMA! Why’d
    you make her cry?! MOMMMMAAAAA!!!!!”
    Like a broken record, Pacey’s repeated shouts grate against my soul. This just isn’t right. This just isn’t right and there’s nothing I can do about it . Tyler is waving the gun around like a madman and I’m