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"You wash your hands like a surgeon," she said

He sht it was like a sunbeah the clouds But the cloud caain

"I work in a hospital Part-tih" Wes tossed the towel aside

"I work in an animal clinic I’d be too scared to ith people They talk back"

"That’swith animals They can’t tell me where it hurts" He stood directly in front of her so that her knees almost touched his hips "Can you tell me where it hurts?"

"I think I’ht I’ently by the chin and turned her face toward the light

"I tried He was too strong"

"Don’t feel bad They got e on his teme I think these people are professionals That scares "

"Did they take you, too?"

He shook his head and she sensed his regret

"I wish they had We were atand when I caone"

"She ith you?"

He nodded as he raised a wet cotton ball and started to stroke her cheek with it Fro pink with blood

"Yeah We’refriends She was visitingand ca and thenit all went black When I caone"

"That’s awful Are you okay?"

"As okay as anyone would be, I guess"

"You don’t look okay" He didn’t He uy she’d ever seen in her life, but he also happened to be the uy she’d ever seen in her life who looked like he would pass out any ood"

She laughed as he tossed the cotton ball and picked up a clean one

"I’lish My uncle’s been et better at it I didn’t ize," he said, rubbing her cheek with antibiotic ointment "I haven’t eaten or slept since this all happened At least they left me alive And you You sure you’re okay?"

"I’m okay Are you?"

"No I mean, yes I mean, I won’t be okay until Nora’s safe"

"Me, too I can’t If so happens to her" Tears started to run down her face again Wes handed her a tissue and kept working on her cheek