Forgive Me by Kateri Stanley (reading strategies book TXT) 📕

was just an experiment too. Was I a prelude for something bigger? It was, wasn’t it?”

Peter didn’t respond again.

“Answer me.”

“You weren’t an experiment, Stripe. We were bonding. My work never touched my home life. Think about my concept for a minute. I know I was a terrible father, I admit it okay. I was an awful husband but I am one magnificent scientist. Think about what we could do with more resources. Imagine if our country was threatened, we could manufacture Isaac’s blood, create a whole line of soldiers.” His large green eyes shimmered wildly as he spoke, it reminded Stripe too much of herself. “We'd be fearless. We'd finally be safe from our enemies.”

“I won’t let you. You’ve hurt so many people. Electrocuting a child as a corporal punishment is not the humane thing to do in order to change the world. Violence breeds violence, you taught them this. Wherever there’s an action, there’s a reaction.” She thought about her mother, an ache pulsed through her head. “Isaac should’ve killed you earlier, and your evil friends.” She saw the hurt in Peter’s gaze, it flickered through him like a flame. “I’m destroying Kaltheia, Dad. In my own way. This needs to end.”

The urgency in his eyes grew still like stone. “And how are you going to do that?”

She hated the edge of sarcasm in his voice. A searing weight burned by her chest pocket; her fingers ached as she pulled the object out from the fabric. The silver branded lighter sat in the middle of her palm, she flicked the mouth open, sparking it up. “I’ll figure it out,” Stripe said, observing the flame. “I always do.”

“You don’t know what you’re dealing with. Isaac is capable of so much more than you know. He’s deadly.” Peter walked towards her; an instinct made her retreat, flicking the lighter back into her jacket pocket. He advanced, pressing his palm to her belly. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I would’ve loved being a grandfather.”

“I know.”

“I wish I’d been a better parent to you, and a better husband to your mother.”

“My heart can’t deal with all of this,” she whispered. “I...I...I’ve lost so much and it’s not even my fault.”

Except Mom.

“Sofia is going to be such a strong young woman, and her brother will follow in her footsteps.” Her stomach muscles contracted under Peter’s fingers. He grabbed her around the waist, pulling her to his chest. “Remember everything you’ve seen, use what you’ve learned. Keep your family close.”

Chapter Forty-Eight

Lorraine Thurman managed to keep hold of her iconic pearl necklace whilst the other hand gripped onto her helmet. She tensed all of the muscles in her legs hoping she wouldn’t pull a Bridget Jones; her career would be over in a matter of seconds and she'd be a laughing stock back at the news station. She'd done a couple of helicopter broadcasts before but her unusual profession mostly kept her feet safe on the ground, where she preferred it.

“As you can see, the forest fire has reached an exceptional height at the Washington State Park,” she said to the camera. “It's been going on for hours and the fire department are doing an amazing job putting it out.”

The camera panned across the landscape, highlighting the expanse of the subject matter. Clouds of grey and black smoke floated above the trees. It was so high; it could have reached a search team in the snow. Dots of glowing orbs were dispersed across the lands, where trees once stood, now were ghosts drenched in blankets of ash. The camera zoomed in on the fire fighters. They worked like an army putting out remnants of the fires.

The cameraman signalled to Lorraine; the transmission was done. Lorraine coughed squinting from the hoarse thick air. She was glad to be reporting about something different, even a forest fire was better than those murders.

Latoya Burnwood watched the broadcast from her sitting room, a forest burning. She wasn't anywhere near it but she couldn't help but sense something was wrong.

“What's the matter, baby?” Terry Burnwood asked, stroking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. “You look like you've seen a ghost.”

“Are the kids asleep?”

“Like angels,” he whispered, his arms lacing around her waist. “Now, tell me what's on your mind?”

Latoya closed her eyes, her heart racing. I can't tell you. She'd buried the secret of Isaiah forever. She’d made the locked decision when she handed him over into Peter's arms, bawling and kicking after her seventy-two hour labour.

The money she’d been given had helped rebuild her life. With time and effort, bricks of knowledge stacked up as she moved through education and eventually into her own business of sport and leisure. It doesn’t distinguish the guilt. She felt it every day but deep down, Peter had warned her about it. Was it her punishment?

My children don’t know they have an older brother, he’s out there somewhere. She'd been regretting giving up Isaiah ever since the Night Scrawler had snubbed Peter and his colleagues. What happened to my baby? Did they take care of him? Where is he now?

He'd finally finished the story about the Princess and the Pea. It was Serene’s favourite. She couldn't drop off without the hint of a fairy tale. Laurie Harrison picked up his sleeping granddaughter and carried her into the bedroom. He nestled her down between the toys. She was obsessed with the movie Frozen and the funny little yellow minions from Despicable Me. She’d been blurting out catchphrases all day; it had been driving him loopy so he was thankful his little cherub was finally asleep

Laurie covered Serene in the purple and teal blanket his wife had made. With intricate care, Rosa had managed to stitch Serene’s name in plump salmon pink letters. He closed the door ajar and walked back to the living room. He chuckled to himself as Rosa had fallen asleep in the armchair. Whisky and cola were her favourite tipple on counting sheep.

He took the newspaper