76

ASTRID

As soon as I stepped into the house, I began to panic and looked about for any sign of life. Everywhere I looked, there were people I knew and others I had never seen before.

As they hurried to me, their faces blended together and they started asking me endless questions about where I had been.

But the blood was all I could think about, and that was all in my head. And that one person that I didn’t see.

“Where is he?" With my voice hardly audible, I asked. I was filled with fear as I realized that I had no idea where he was or whether he was okay.

I pushed past everyone and headed up the stairs, following the trail of blood as my heart raced and knot formed in my stomach.

When the blood stopped, I threw open the door. I paused in the doorway, the sight in front of me bringing my whole world to a halt.

In addition to having bandages all over his body and a pale, sweat covered face, Justin was unconscious as he laid in bed. His mother was beside him, her eyes swollen and re