Chapter 4

I was hurting all over, starving, and scared out of my mind.

There was no one around, not a scrap of food anywhere, and I couldn't even stand up.

With fear and despair crushing me, I opened my mouth to scream, but not a single sound came out.

Even after all these years, the dog still haunted my nightmares.

Its eyes gleamed with a terrifying brightness, just like the moon that night.

When I snatched the moldy food right from under its nose, it bared its teeth, snarling with a sound that made my skin crawl.

When it sank its teeth into my arm, I held onto the food, refusing to let go and shoving it into my mouth.

Then it suddenly lunged, going straight for my face.

Everything was spinning: the moonlight, the world around me, all of it.

Something was shrieking in my ear, or at least it felt that way. And then, nothing. Just a silence so deep it was terrifying.

There was agonizing pain as my skin tore apart. The air was thick with the smell of blood, and then my mind faded into nothingness.

When I finally woke up, I had no idea how much time had passed.

The food was gone, and so was the dog.

I stared up at the stars overhead, watching them slowly blink out one by one.

I seemed to hear myself crying, or maybe I just imagined it.

Not far away, there was a blurry lump of flesh and blood lying on the ground.

I strained my eyes, trying to see what it was, but I couldn't make it out.

It was like a hurricane had swept through my mind, taking so much with it.

I started to forget what had just happened, even though it was only moments ago.

But I knew I was seriously hurt. Blood was everywhere, on my face, all over my body.

I used my smartwatch and kept calling my parents even though I couldn't remember what had happened to me.

I kept dialing, counting each call as I went.

By the time I hit thirty-two, I switched to 911. The operator asked who I was and what was wrong.

I tried to remember, but my mind was a blank.

I said, feeling really bad, "I'm sorry, I... I really don't know. Could you please ask someone to help me, sir?"

I was taken to the hospital in a police car.

It wasn't until I overheard a cop sighing, "The kid's nose is gone," that it finally hit me.

That blurry lump of flesh I'd seen on the ground was my nose. The dog had ripped it right off.

The cops went back to the scene to search for my nose, but it was nowhere to be found.

Maybe it got run over by a car, or maybe some stray dogs or cats dragged it off. Or maybe the wind had whisked it away with the fallen leaves.

Either way, five-year-old Mandy no longer had a nose. From that day on, she became a monster.

My parents came rushing over.

Mom cried her eyes out in front of everyone.

Once we were alone in the hospital room, her eyes still red from crying, Mom suddenly slapped me hard across the face.

"Mandy, why did you have to sneak out to play?" Mom snapped. "Didn't I tell you to stay put at home? I locked all the doors and windows, didn't I?

"Why do you always ignore what I say? You know how hard your dad and I work. Why can't you just do as you're told?"

My hands, feet, and face were all wrapped in bandages. I stared at her, frozen in shock and fear.

I couldn't remember what had happened to me. It was like a huge chunk of my memory had been ripped out.

Mom's harsh words filled the blank spot in my head.

Desperate, I clung to her sleeve, begging for forgiveness. "Sorry. It hurts so much. I won't run away again."

I was so scared of seeing that dog again, and even more scared that Mom might leave me.

So I obediently followed my parents to those endless talks, just like they wanted.

In front of the cameras, I did whatever my parents told me, playing the part they'd scripted for me.

I cried, admitting I was the bad kid who never listened. I told everyone I'd snuck out the window, messed with a crazy dog, and that was why I got bitten.

Then I forced a smile, pretending to be happy. I said my parents loved me the most and were always so good to me.

There were more and more talks, and Mom's law firm got more new clients.

Dad kept getting promoted.

Then one night, Mom put on her merciful act again and told me, "From now on, you need to do as you're told and behave.

"Your father and I won't hold it against you anymore for sneaking out and running off before."

But as the creepy tree shadows danced outside the window, it all came rushing back to me.

That day, I wasn't messing around. I hadn't eaten in days and was starving. I only ran out because I felt like I was about to die.

I was so out of it, so hungry, that I actually tried to steal food from a dog. And then I remembered that the one who messed up wasn't me.

I pushed my mom's hand away. Terrified but serious, I said, "You two locked me up for days and forgot about me. I was starving. That was why I ran out and got hurt."

The gentle, kind look on my parents' faces disappeared in a flash.