More useful.

They had not simply tried to kill us.

They had sat at a table and calculated the precise dollar value of my life and my children’s lives, and then they had smiled and served us cake.

My mother had cut the slices with steady hands.

My husband had watched the driveway.

And when the boys began to fall, neither of them had moved, because the falling was the plan working.

The door opened, and a uniformed officer leaned in.