Chapter 4

Olive thought she'd misheard.

Captain's pen stopped. Officer Hobbes looked up too. The sirens outside still wailed, muffled through the glass.

Olive stared at her daughter.

"Oh God... What did you just say?"

Hazel's face was pale. She wasn't crying. She just clenched her fingers slowly, knuckles turning white.

"I said I died once."

Olive's throat tightened.

"Hazel, don't talk nonsense."

"I'm NOT!"

Hazel looked up.

"Last time, I didn't wake you. I woke up and the room was full of smoke. Someone was knocking at the door. He said he was from management, checking the lines. I was about…