She was unconscious, but her brow was deeply furrowed, as if she could feel some terrible pain even through the coma.
"Stop! Don't touch her!" I thrashed against the guards, but they pinned me to the floor.
"Dean, if you lay a finger on my grandmother, I'll kill you!"
A fist slammed into my face. Stars exploded behind my eyes.
"Shut your mouth, you worthless nobody." Dean grabbed a fistful of my hair and wrenched my head up, forcing me to watch the screen. "Here's something you didn't know. Yesterday, I used the money you earned to buy that nursing home."
"Your grandmother's life is in my hands now. One word from me, and they pull the plug."
On the screen, the hand actually switched off the ventilator.
My grandmother's body seized violently. The heart monitor shrieked, its alarm piercing through the phone's tiny speaker.
"No! No, stop!" I fought to hold back the tears, but every wall inside me had already crumbled.
"Please. Don't hurt her. I'll sign. Whatever you want me to sign, I'll do it."
Dean smiled, satisfied. He spoke into the phone: "Hold off for now."