Chapter 10 - Aftermath
The nightmare ended not with a scream, but with the quiet, rhythmic hum of a hospital monitor.
David—Elias Thorne—survived the gunshot wound to his shoulder, only to be dragged away in handcuffs, screaming my name into the night. Detective Miller found the journals, the passports, and the cash. It was more than enough to put him away for multiple lifetimes. The ghosts of Crestwood finally had their justice.
Six months later, the Ohio winter had thawed into a bright, hopeful spring.
I sat on the porch of our new home in a quiet, sunny neighborhood far away from the shadows of the past. The front door swung open, and Leo came running out, his cheeks flushed with color, chasing a bright red ball across the green grass.
His breathing was perfect. His laughter was loud and clear, untainted by fear.
Stan, who had become a regular fixture at our Sunday dinners, sat in the rocking chair next to me, sipping iced tea. He watched Leo play, a warm smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.
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"He's got a strong set of lungs on him," Stan noted, chuckling as Leo let out a triumphant yell after catching his ball.
"He does," I smiled, pulling my sweater tight around me, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. We had walked through hell, but we had made it out the other side. And nobody would ever silence us again.
