” The Ice Maiden seemed to lose whatever slight interest she might have had in me and turning to father and putting her hand on his sleeve said, “...arling, you did say we were going to eat in that lovely restaurant we saw the other day…” “So,” I thought, “Ice Maiden is able to string a connected sentence together.” “Ah, yes. Time to go I suppose.” Father nodded briefly to me, placed his hand on Ice Maiden’s elbow and they left. The Ice Maiden did not even nod to me. I think I had ceased to exist. I pull against it, trying to stay on the ground. But it tightens more and starts to cut off my air, now choking I struggle getting up, I fall to my knees, they crack against the concrete and pain radiates through my legs. The collar is still chocking me and I start to feel light headed, I finally pull myself up, my knees shaking and sore. Good slut, when you do what I say, the better off you are, The sound of his voice makes my heart drop into my stomach. My neck is sore from the struggle, he. Hunter helped Sophie up onto the monkey bars he held her legs for her until she told him she could do it all by herself so he let go and she went to the end of the monkey bars and back. Hunter helped her down and gave her a high five telling her she was the best at the monkey bars and started to tickle her. Sophie laughed begging him to stop; when he finally did she made him do the monkey bars. Hunter told her he was too old but she called him a scaredy cat which made him want to prove her. They were inquisitive dynamos and dangerous around breakables. ‘Chris and Papa took them to Philly. They were going to the Franklin Institute for the day. Maria here wanted to stay with her mommy.’ She added that while holding onto my youngest niece, a four-year old charmer who was a younger version of her mother. True to form, the child ran up to me, fascinated with my shiny head. She and I were friends but hadn’t seen each other in months. As I lifted her to my embrace she brushed her.