Chapter 1: Secrets & Blood Chapter 1: Secrets & Blood I have a secret. It's a secret so big it keeps me up nights. It feels like a bird in my chest trying to come out all beating around in there and batting his wings, causing a racket and making it where I can hardly sleep or even breathe sometimes. I swear I can see it moving in my chest just underneath my breastbone and below my collarbone. I have two secrets, actually, but one of 'em is bigger than the other. If you know me, you know how hard it is for me to keep secrets. Mama always did call me Mouth of the South, said if you wanted everybody to know something, all you had to do was tell me and I'd be sure to broadcast it. I'd do it even faster if you told me it was a secret and not to tell anybody. Mama sure did know me, and she knew how much I loved to spill the tea. Only this time, it's my tea, and I don't want to share. Not all of it, anyway. After Mama died and I came to live with Grandma De