Mom lay there, blood seeping from a gash at her temple. Her voice was so fragile it could shatter. "Sweetheart... Mama's dirty, I know. But the money I got picking through trash to buy you supplements... that money was clean."
"It's Mama's fault. I won't do it anymore, I promise. Just... please eat properly..."
A needle of pain lanced through my chest. I opened my mouth to say I'd never meant to stop eating—
Uncle Albert's fist found me first.
The first blow landed on my shoulder. The second and third rained down on my back, my arms, his fists falling like hail.
I didn't dodge. I clenched my teeth until my jaw ached.
Somewhere, people screamed. Someone tried to pull him off. He roared like a maddened lion: "Anyone who gets in my way today answers to me! Animals like this don't learn unless you beat it into them!"
I collapsed onto the ground. A cough tore through me, and blood-flecked foam splattered the concrete.
"That's... really brutal," someone murmured.
"Serves her right! Ungrateful brats deserve a beating!"
"Why's her face so white? Doesn't look like she's faking..."
"You think she's on something? I heard some students these days..."
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