PART 1: THE NIGHT MY FATHER STOPPED PRETENDING
My brother dragged me out of bed by my hair at three in the morning while my father stood in the doorway laughing, and neither of them knew that a camera above my bookshelf was recording everything.
The bedroom door slammed against the wall so violently that I woke with my heart racing before I could even understand where I was.
Aaron crossed the darkness in three furious steps, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and pulled me toward the edge of the mattress.My shoulder struck the nightstand, sending a lamp crashing onto the hardwood floor while my blanket twisted around my legs.
“Aaron, please stop!”
He ignored my frightened voice and continued pulling until I fell from the bed, struggling desperately to protect my head.
“Get up, Madison.”
I reached for his wrist, but he tightened his grip and pulled me toward the hallway without giving me time to stand.
