Act I The Colonel ripped the safety rope from the older instructor’s hands and slapped her in front of dozens of soldiers. When she refused to abandon an unsafe anchor point, he kicked…

Act I The Colonel slapped the woman across the face in front of an entire field hospital, then kicked her into a supply crate when she refused to surrender a bag of trauma…

Act I The envelope was empty. Nia stood beside the entry console, still wearing the black apron she had used while helping at the family diner that afternoon. Her feet hurt, her cream-white…

Act I “Servants don’t join family night.” Nia stood at the entrance to the living room, still wearing her yellow dishwashing gloves, while her stepmother stretched one leg across the last open seat…

Act I “You’re not going. I canceled your lessons.” Nia stood by the front door with her music bag tucked against her side, ready for the lesson she had been looking forward to…

Act I “Tonight’s table is for people I’m proud to introduce as family.” Nia stood beside the dining table, holding a folded cloth napkin, as her stepmother delivered the words with a calmness…

Act I “Clean up what you broke.” Nia stared at the shattered vase on the living-room floor, unable to understand why her stepmother was handing her a broom. The ceramic pieces lay scattered…

Act I Nia’s excitement disappeared the moment she looked inside the box. She sat beside the coffee table in the warm light of the living room, surrounded by torn packaging and neatly folded…