It shocked me that I had fallen asleep, but I had done such a great job of systematically relaxing all my muscles that I had drifted off. When I woke up in the morning, there was already bright sunshine streaming into the room. After a minute of my eyes fluttering open and taking in my surroundings, I sat bolt upright on the couch and looked around in alarm.
Both bedroom doors were closed. I glanced down at my arms, like I was looking for stab wounds, and I recall thinking, Well, at least they didn't kill me in my sleep. As I reviewed last night's events in my mind, I wasn't entirely sure that was a good thing. Maybe I would have been better off if they'd killed me in my sleep.
I had a horrible sense of foreboding, like I was doomed to pay a heavy price for what I had done.
My sister ha
