A child named Samantha kneels down at her evening bed, prays to a God she's been told may be watching, listening, hearing

nothing but syrupy sounds from her sister Marie, too young and too naive to know what she wants beyond sugar and staying up late, now asleep in Cinderella pajamas that Samantha had long since outgrown.

it happened last summer; her legs and arms stuck out unprotected the last time she wore them and she almost got bit by a whale.