Stilloneshort.Whichmeantshehadehispainfornothing.

Shehadthoughttheywouldhavemany,manymoreyearstogether.Butayearago,anactatacrimesehadnearlytakenhimfromher.

Reyayonherside,gazingatthephotoonthenightstand:alittlegirlinaprincessdress,smililybesideatall,handsomemaninapoliiform.

Fromthenightstand,sheretrievedaslender-neckedgssbottle,pullingoutthewoodenstopper.Withherslenderfingers,shepinchedeachorbonebyone.

Thepinkarmclothenightstandclickedasthehourhandpassedone.Reyaexhaledinrelief.Themoonlighttetheredtoherforeheadsuddenlysnappedfree,recoilinglikeabrokenrubberband,instantlyretreatingbacktothecream-coloreddesk.Besideit,ablue-coveredtextbook''''''''spagesflutteredfaintly,asifbrushedbyaphantombreeze,beforesettlingbatostillness.

Shetedthem.Forty-eight.

Thecolorlessliquidinsideseepedout,collegile.Thepurplehusksshriveled.Withalightrubbetweenherfiheycrumbledintodust.

Afaintmoanbrokeinthedarkness.Soft,asifsqueezedoutfromthecrathewoodenfloorboardsbehebed.Ifoenedclosely,itwasalmostindistinct,yetitcarriedanagresonance,asifdredgedfromthedepthsofhersoul.

Justalittlelonger.

Luckily,I''''''''mademoness.Isaveyou.

Tick.

faceappearghostlypale.

Sheshookthebottlegently.Theliquidinsidewasslightlythickerthanwater,gingtothegsswalls.

Anddamnthishazymoon.

Halfanhourter,shesatupagain,wipingthesweatfromherbrowwiththebackofherhand.Shesweptherlong,violethairoveroneshoulderandcarefullyliftedthesheet.Behyaclusterofgrape-sizedvioletorbs.

Carefully,shestoredthebottleaway.Itwasn''''''''tenoughtofreeLufromhisstateasalivingdead,butatleastitwouldlethimholdonalittlelonger,justenoughtoseemnormal.

Fourteenyears.Shehadgrownupdaybyday,whilehehadaged.

Damnthatmanwhoforcedmetodrinkstnight.

TheonlysouintheroomwasReya''''''''sraggedbreathing.Everythingwasnain.Asifnothinghadhappened.

Forayearshehadgtothatbelief.

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