"No, I didn't. You my best fwiend. If not for you, then I would have been wike this forever," Samantha said, grabbing a handful of her belly for emphasis.
"Good. That's what you deserve," Veronica said. "As soon as I can use the fountain again I'll make sure that's exactly how you grow up. A fat, timid thing just like your fwiend Pwoodance. Too scared of your own shadow to do anything."
"Pwoodance is better than you ever be," Samantha said. "She not hurt anyone."
"She definitely won't now that she's dead," Veronica said. She wiped away the last traces of tears from her cheeks. The haughty smile returned to her lips.
"Vewonica, pwease, you have to stop this. Hurt me if you want, but weave my fwiends awone. Pwoodance and Wendell didn't do anyfing to you. And Mowwy, she wuved you wike you wuved me. How can you wet her die?"
"I never gave a shit about Mowwy," Veronica said. "I needed her help to find the fountain. That's all."
"But you wike sisters for twee years. Didn't that mean anyfing to you?"
"Never."
"I saw you two togever. You wuved each other and now you going to wet her die."
"So what? She doesn't mean anything to me. Just like I never meant anything to you."
"Vewonica, pwease-" Veronica silenced her by slapping her across the face. Samantha's face turned red again, this time with anger. "You won't get away with this. No matter what you do to me, I find a way to stop you."
Veronica shoved Samantha onto her back. "You're getting fussy. I think it's time for you to take a nap. I better go check on your boyfriend and get him to work."
"If you hurt Joseph-"
"Then you'll do what? Cry? Throw a tantrum? You're as helpless now as when I killed your other boyfriend."
"You monster! I gonna stop you. You wait and see."
Before Veronica could say anything, a window shattered. The stone landed in Samantha's crib, coming within an inch of hitting her. She stood on her tiptoes to peer over the edge of the crib. Outside the children of Eternity stood in a line, Joseph at their head.
Veronica grabbed Samantha by the front of her dress. "Looks like I'll have to kill him sooner than I hoped," she said. Then Veronica tucked Samantha under one arm and opened the door to face the mob.