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so brittle。 It felt too light； as if it were hollow。
“Ah； Gladdie； it’s been hard without you。 It’s a nice place here； you’ll like it； even when I’m gone。
Plenty of people to talk to—I know how you need to have your conversation。…” The volume of his
voice sank until I couldn’t make out the words anymore； but his lips still shaped the words he wanted to
share with his wife。 His mouth kept moving； even when his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side。
Ian found a wet cloth and began wiping Walter’s shining face。
“I’m not good at… at deception；” I whispered； watching Walter’s mumbling lips to make sure he wasn’t
listening to me。 “I don’t want to upset him。”
“You don’t have to say anything；” Ian reassured me。 “He’s not lucid enough to care。”
“Do I look like her？”
“Not a bit—I’ve seen her picture。 Stocky redhead。”
“Here； let me do that。”
Ian gave me the rag； and I cleaned the sweat off Walter’s neck。 Busy hands always made me feel more
fortable。 Walter continued to mumble。 I thought I heard him say； “Thanks； Gladdie； that’s nice。”
I didn’t notice that Doc’s snores had stopped。 His familiar voice was suddenly there behind me； too
gentle to startle。
“How is he？”
“Delusional；” Ian whispered。 “Is that the brandy or the pain？”
“More the pain； I would think。 I’d trade my right arm for some morphine。”
“Maybe Jared will produce another miracle；” Ian suggested。
“Maybe；” Doc sighed。
I wiped absently at Walter’s pallid face； listening more intently now； but they didn’t speak of Jared
again。
Not here；Melanie whispered。
Alone；she added。
I thought about the last time I’d seen him—the kiss； the belief…He probably wanted some time to
himself。
I hope he isn’t out there convincing himself that you’re a very talented actress…slash…Seeker
again。…
That’s possible； of course。
Melanie groaned silently。
Ian and Doc murmured in quiet voices about inconsequential things； mostly Ian catching Doc up on what
was going on in the caves。
“What happened to Wanda’s face？” Doc whispered； but I could still hear him easily。
“More of the same；” Ian said in a tight voice。
Doc made an unhappy noise under his breath and then clicked his tongue。
Ian told him a bit about tonight’s awkward class； about Geoffrey’s questions。
“It would have been convenient if Melanie had been possessed by a Healer；” Doc mused。
I flinched； but they were behind me and probably didn’t notice。
“We’re lucky it was Wanda；” Ian murmured in my defense。 “No one else —”
“I know；” Doc interrupted； good…natured as always。 “I guess I should say； it’s too bad Wanda didn’t
have more of an interest in medicine。”
“I’m sorry；” I murmured。 Iwas careless to reap the benefits of perfect health without ever being curious
about the cause。
A hand touched my shoulder。 “You have nothing to apologize for；” Ian said。
Jamie was being very quiet。 I looked around and saw that he was curled up on the cot where Doc had
been napping。
“It’s late；” Doc noted。 “Walter’s not going anywhere tonight。 You should get some sleep。”
“We’ll be back；” Ian promised。 “Let us know what we can bring； for either of you。”
I laid Walter’s hand down； patting it cautiously。 His eyes snapped open； focusing with more awareness
than before。
“Are you leaving？” he wheezed。 “Do you have to go so soon？”
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”
He smiled and closed his eyes again。 His fingers locked around mine with brittle strength。
Ian sighed。
“You can go；” I told him。 “I don’t mind。 Take Jamie back to his bed。”
Ian glanced around the room。 “Hold on a sec；” he said； and then he grabbed the cot closest to him。 It
wasn’t heavy—he lifted it easily and slid it into place next to Walter’s。 I stretched my arm to the limit；
trying not to jostle Walter； so that Ian could arrange the cot under it。 Then he grabbed me up just as
easily and set me on the cot beside Walter。 Walter’s eyes never fluttered。 I gasped quietly； caught off
guard by the casual way Ian was able to put his hands on me—as though I were human。
Ian jerked his chin toward Walter’s hand clasped around mine。 “Do you think you can sleep like that？”
“Yes； I’m sure I can。”
“Sleep well； then。” He smiled at me； then turned and lifted Jamie from the other cot。 “Let’s go； kid；” he
muttered； carrying the boy with no more effort than if he were an infant。 Ian’s quiet footsteps faded into
the distance until I couldn’t hear them anymore。
Doc yawned and went to sit behind the desk he’d constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum
door； taking the dim lamp with him。 Walter’s face was too dark to see； and that made me nervous。 It
was like he was already gone。 I took fort in his fingers； still curled stiffly around mine。
Doc began to shuffle through some papers； humming almost inaudibly to himself。 I drifted off to the
sound of the gentle rustling。
Walter recognized me in the morning。
He didn’t wake until Ian showed up to escort me back； the cornfield was due to be cleared of the old
stalks。 I promised Doc I would bring him breakfast before I got to work。 The very last thing I did was to
carefully loosen my numb fingers； freeing them from Walter’s grasp。
His eyes opened。 “Wanda；” he whispered。
“Walter？” I wasn’t sure how long he would know me； or if he would remember last night。 His hand
clutched at the empty air； so I gave him my left； the one that wasn’t dead。
“You came to see me。 That was nice。 I know… with the others back… must be hard… for you… Your
face…”
He seemed to be having a difficult time making his lips form the words； and his eyes went in and out of
focus。 How like him； that his first words to me would be full of concern。
“Everything’s fine； Walter。 How are you feeling？”
“Ah —” He groaned quietly。 “Not so… Doc？”
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。
“Got any