I smile wider, check on my friend, cover her, then close the door carefully and creep on my tiptoes down the hall to my parents' bedroom. I step in the room and look around; subtle hints of my father are in the decoration, but it's mostly my mother's space. I snort disdainfully, then cover my mouth and peek back down the dark hallway before I step over to the bedside. I can smell my daddy on the pillow as I lay down, the cool sheets bringing goosebumps to my overheated flesh; my heart takes flight in my chest as I hear daddy curse downstairs.

I reach my right hand in...