The Osage said that the pool drew the contrite to itself. If I told you what I had done to bring myself here, you would probably hate me. If I told you why I had done it, you would likely want to hold my head beneath the water until I came to a dead float.

Betty prided herself in having no dark circles herself. Those were for the unfortunates. And as for her home? Well, she wouldn’t be caught dead with a single thing out of place. Children? In this economy? She almost choked at the idea.

My eyes returned to the neon clock on the wall––the only source of light I could clearly discern––where I saw the glowing hands stuck at twelve and three. I looked for their younger brother, the thin, green hand that told me how many seconds were left before another minute of my life had wasted away.