My eleven-year-old daughter screamed as Maddox twisted her wrist and forced her hand beneath the metal frame of a lounge chair.
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Chapter 1 / 11
Chapter 1: The Gathering Storm
The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly upon the concrete patio of the suburban backyard, reflecting a blinding glare off the turquoise surface of the swimming pool. Laughter and the clink of ice in plastic cups had filled the air just moments before, masking the mounting tensions of a crowded neighborhood barbecue. Ten-year-old Leo stood near the edge of the water, his messy brown hair damp against his forehead, chest bare and blue swim trunks clinging to his skin. Facing him was seven-year-old Lily, clutching her soggy, water-stained teddy bear in one hand and a faded yellow towel in the other. Her blonde hair was plastered to her cheeks, and
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