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

Anddamnthishazymoon.

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

Fourteenyears.Shehadgrownupdaybyday,whilehehadaged.

Sheshookthebottlegently.Theliquidinsidewasslightlythickerthanwater,gingtothegsswalls.

Forayearshehadgtothatbelief.

Shehadthoughttheywouldhavemany,manymoreyearstogether.Butayearago,anactatacrimesehadnearlytakenhimfromher.

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

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

Thecolorlessliquidinsideseepedout,collegile.Thepurplehusksshriveled.Withalightrubbetweenherfiheycrumbledintodust.

Damnthatmanwhoforcedmetodrinkstnight.

Pop.Pop.Pop.

Justalittlelonger.

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

faceappearghostlypale.

Reyayonherside,gazingatthephotoonthenightstand:alittlegirlinaprincessdress,smililybesideatall,handsomemaninapoliiform.

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

Tick.

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

Shetedthem.Forty-eight.

Stilloneshort.Whichmeantshehadehispainfornothing.