Chapter 16 - The Monster Descends
"Mateo?... Leo?" I gasped, the words barely a horrified whisper.
They didn't scream or run. Instead, they cowered, shrinking into the floorboards with a profound, misplaced guilt that tore my heart to shreds.
"Grandma..." Mateo whimpered, hiding the kibble in his pajama pocket. "Please don't tell mom. Leo's tummy hurt so much, he was crying. The pantry is locked. The kibble doesn't taste good, but if you chew it a lot, the stomach pain goes away."
I dropped my cane, collapsing onto the painful cement to wrap my frail arms around them, sobbing uncontrollably.
"My babies! My precious lives!" I wailed.
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Suddenly, the heavy, furious thud of footsteps echoed from the wooden stairs. Valeria appeared in the doorway, her black satin robe swishing, her eyes red with interrupted sleep and immediate, unhinged rage. She showed absolutely no shame at seeing her children eating animal feed on the floor.
"What the hell is going on here?" she spat, crossing her arms, her voice a cruel, rasping whip in the silence.
