Chapter 5

On Memoir: I fell asleep to the sound of hushed voices and the clicking of cigarette lighters.

Silver and blue metallic nail polish covered my arms. I had dumped the bottle all over the kitchen floor and spread my hands around in it like I was splashing in a puddle. A thumping sound came from my brother’s room. I shuffled down the hallway carrying my nin-nin, a worn and frayed piece of Mom’s red silk lingerie she gave me as a security blanket. The blinds were bent and there was a sliver of gold from the streetlight shining onto the pile of junk Mom and Dad had stacked in the corner of Brandon’s room.

I saw Brandon’s big deer eyes peering over the edge of his crib.