I struggled to stand, but she kicked me down again.
"Since you've now seen them one last time," she sneered, "it's time you send them off properly."
"What are you going to do?!" I shouted, terror seizing me.
At her signal, someone brought in a large black dog on a chain.
Patricia snapped her fingers. The men in black opened the glass boxes and hurled the tiny bodies toward the dog.
"No!" I thrashed violently, trying to reach them, but they held me down.
"Patricia, you monster! Give my children back!" I screamed until my throat tore, but it was useless.
The sound of the dog's teeth tearing flesh filled the room. I felt something inside me shatter completely.
I collapsed to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please... I'll do anything! Just stop! Don't hurt them!"
Patricia's expression softened into something almost sweet. "Well, since you're begging so nicely," she said, "kneel and kowtow a hundred times—to atone for your sins against my child."
My jaw clenched, and slowly, I lowered myself to the floor.
Bang—
My forehead struck the tiles.
Again, and again.
The dull sound echoed through the room, each hit drawing blood until my vision blurred red.