Milton vanished from my life . Six years later , I returned from studying abroad , reconnecting with Richard and Margaret , with whom I'd kept in touch . I planned to support them in retirement . Disillusioned with Milton , they'd adopted a daughter years prior - a sweet , kind girl who brought light back to their lives , making them look younger , happier . I adored my new sister . When she aced her finals , I promised her a puppy . At a pet store near our complex , she dove into picking her new friend , while my allergies kept me outside . My eyes wandered to a clinic next door , where a scarred , limping man dispensed medicine . Something about him felt familiar . When he caught my gaze , he covered his face and bolted . Puzzled , I turned to the pet store clerk , who explained , " He is a mute . Opened that clinic last year . He used to be a doctor , getting canned for some screw - up . He is good at his job , but his voice is shot . Oh , and he married a woman fresh out of prison . Her face is all messed up . They fight like cats and dogs , yelling and even pulling knives sometimes . He calls her a filthy curse and blames her for ruining his life . " I nodded silently as my sister emerged , beaming with her chosen pup . I paid , but a scream from her outside sent me sprinting . She was fine , but the clinic was chaos . I shielded her eyes . Inside , a crazed thug was stabbing the owner on the floor . The attacker , his eyes bloodshot , stabbed Milton a dozen times until blood pooled . Then he turned his dripping knife toward a terrified Cheryl a few feet away . Her face was scarred beyond recognition . A week later , police reports confirmed their deaths . The cause was a medical dispute . 1/2 Chapter 8 +25 Bonus Milton had prescribed the right medicine for the thug's wife . Cheryl , maintaining an affair with the thug , had a spat with the wife at the market and swapped the meds out of spite . The wife died , pregnant with the thug's long - awaited son . He received a taunting text from Cheryl , mocking his wife's failure to keep her man . In a rage , he grabbed a knife and stormed the clinic . The End . Continue Reading