Chapter 3 - THE TRASH BIN
James found the vial in the kitchen trash.
Wrapped inside a paper towel.
Serena followed him.
“You cannot seriously be doing this.”
He held the vial by the edges.
“There’s no label.”
“That doesn’t make it dangerous.”
“I didn’t say it was.”
Emily stood in the doorway with another adult beside her.
James continued.
“I’m asking why you hid it.”
Serena’s jaw tightened.
“I didn’t hide anything.”
“You wrapped it in a paper towel.”
“I was cleaning up.”
James looked at her.
For years, Serena had been polished enough to make hesitation look like patience.
Now he could see the strain.
Emily spoke softly.
“She said nobody would believe me.”
James turned.
Serena’s face went pale.
“When did she say that?”
Emily pointed toward the pantry.
“Before the cake came out.”
Serena shook her head.
“She misunderstood.”
James’s anger sharpened.
“Stop using that word.”
“What word?”
“Misunderstood.”
He looked at Emily.
“She understood enough to stop people from eating something she was scared of.”
The room fell quiet again.
May you like
And suddenly the smashed cake looked less like destruction.
More like a warning.
