No Free House
Congealed grease clung to my skin, and the room filled with the stench of spoiled food.
I pressed my lips together and stood frozen as the filthy liquid dripped onto the floor, forming a small puddle around my feet.
The ceiling light flickered, splitting and rejoining the reflections on the floor.
I looked at the closed bedroom door, and grief rose inside me.
I knocked. "Chloe, open the door. We need to talk."
Her muffled, furious voice came from beneath the blankets. "I have nothing to say to you! All you care about is money!