That's something I haven't done since I was about seven. Every night, my mother would make me and Angie get on our knees and pray before bedtime.

"God is a merciful being who loves us," my mother used to say. "Ask him for anything and he will deliver."

After the murders, I never prayed again. If God loved me, why would he put my family through all of that? Why would someone who loved their children subject them to such horrible things like disease and death?

If God loved me, why did he let my mother murder my whole family? I didn't get it. I didn't understand, so I never really believed in religion or God. Never faulted people who did though.

There was no real proof. All those religious books were written by man. People thought it was God's words, but how do we know it's not just man's word?

I didn't believe in God, but I succumbed to my last resort of help — prayer.

God,

My childhood was a fucked-up experience, and the later years weren't much better, and I'm kind of damaged now. So, if you're real, I think I'm entitled to a few miracles. So, please, get me the hell out of here. Thanks.

Not much of a prayer, but it was the best I could do at the moment. I didn't have much time to think about it since Layla stood up, ass leaking brown fluid.

Gmie let out a strangled gargle and began to tremble on the floor.

"Gmie!" Demo screamed and glared at Layla. "You bitch."

Layla strolled over and smacked the shit out of Demo. "Shut up before I cut your throat out."

Demo stumbled back into the wall, hitting her head hard. Layla looked like she was about to attack her again, but Sebastian who was next to Demo interrupted.

"You're going to kill her if you keep hitting her like that," Sebastian said, seeming very calm.

Layla flickered her eyes over to Sebastian, an intense rage forming over her muddy golden skin. "You're the worst of everyone here. You're fucking scum. And the hellfire won't be enough for you." She picked up her knife and brought it to his throat, blood trickling down his neck from where she pushed in. "You don't deserve to take another breath on this earth after everything you've done."

My instincts told me she was going to kill him. Right here and now. No, I couldn't let that happen. I didn't know why, but I couldn't let him die. I couldn't.

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