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"Okay" I would do anything for Mrs Carpenter, even go to the hospital

The sliding doors parted and I got a whiff of disinfectant and sick people Me in my brain Blood Pale skin Blue lips Silence

Kat O’Connell strode past lasses, and flopped down in a waiting rooer asked me I looked at my feet, cemented to the sidewalk outside the hospital doors, and forced uys are up so early I’ as alked past

"Then you should have stayed ho"

She stuck her tongue out at hi in a daze at a tiny television h corner They had no idea what they atching At least, that’s hohen I sat in the waiting room

As we made our way deeper into the hospital, the beep and hu machines came out of hospital rooms and made me sick to my sto at a pale face with blue lips, listening to that very sound--the staccato beep of a pulse ed for the worse

I stared at my feet as they passed over white linoleuer asked, slowing to walk beside ie, friends tell each other stuff It makes life easier if you have someone to confide in Did someone you love die in a hospital?"

I looked at hi how he knew "My aunt"

"What happened? How did she die?"

"A freak accident in a national park"

"Really?" Kat chimed in

I nodded and touched the scar in my eyebrow "And when I elve, I had to coet this sewn shut" As if it were yesterday, I could still see Mrs Sin the papers that released me from her care while police officers led her husband out of the ER in a pair of handcuffs

"You know, I bet a plastic surgeon could er snapped

We arrived at Mrs Carpenter’s room and knocked

"Come in," she called, her voice full of sunshine and cheer She lay sees and propped up on a er … Katie," Mrs Carpenter said, studying Kat’s bare shoulder poking out of her oversized wide-neck sweater

"I go by Kat now," Kat said, walking to the chair in the corner of the roo

I forced a s?"

Mrs Carpenter didn’tcare of the ani if you’re ready to move up into the stable-hand roo’s better?"

The dark cloud of hospital ood idea," I said with a shed and squeezed my hand "Bless you, child Now, if I can just convince theowns are ridiculous"

While Kat sat silent in the corner, Bridger and I chatted with Mrs Carpenter as she ate her breakfast She told me where the key to the barn roons, we left

"Do you er asked as the door clicked shut behind him

"You mean at the hospital or on our way ho for breakfast"

"Here, Katie," he said

She sighed, adjusting her oversized sunglasses again "I’ to find some coffee See you at the car" She strode away and I wasn’t sorry to see her go

"So where are we going?" I asked

"I’d like to see how Danni is"

I laughed a huh "Please say you’re not serious"

"I’ie"