I dedicate this novel to all the friends and family who have supported me through this journey of a story.

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Preface

Several thoughts ran through my head as I entered Spruce forest. How could someone so sweet and innocent turn into someone who could put deadly fear into all those he loved? How could mom leave us with that man? How could the father who was supposed to love and protect us, throw us away like garbage? Why didn't she take us with her, or fight for us? She just left us with that monster, and now my brother was the monster.

Dead spruce tree twigs and branches crunched under my feet as I made my way deeper and deeper into the bush. Fog lingered throughout the trees, trees that seemed as tall as the sky, with the moon barely visible through the branches. The burlap sack I dragged was heavy, it felt like it weighed a ton, the metal blade of the shovel digging into my shoulder with every step. The smell of damp wood lingered from the recent rainfall, and the smell of blood and rotting corpse was wafting up off the burlap sack.

When it felt like I had come far enough that no one could possibly find the body, let alone see or hear me, I knew it was time to get the job done. As I positioned the shovels blade to the ground, I put my foot on the top of the blade, ready to start digging. I felt a heavy sigh escape my chest.

"Lets get this over with," I mumbled to myself, sweat dripping into my mouth. All I could smell was dirt, grass, and rotting flesh. Each breath filled my nostrils, making me sick to my stomach. The shovel crunched into the dirt hard with each push. Every one pumped me with adrenaline and crushing pain throughout my chest. I didn't realize I was crying till I tasted the salt from the first tear rolling over my upper lip, and onto my tongue. It left the taste of salt, sadness, and fear in my mouth as the tears streamed down my face.

Two months ago I could never see myself doing this. But a lot of things have changed in these past few months. If only she hadn't abandoned us.