A Monster Unmasked

The basement door opened.

Vivian came down carrying the black bag, her heels on the wooden stairs, unhurried. She set the bag on the concrete and looked at them both with the expression of someone who had already made peace with what she was about to do.

Willa was curled on the floor, knees to her chest, arms around herself. Five days had done something to her. The girl who had stood up two nights