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kept hi farther and farther away froo out at all

As soon as he ell, he ran from the hospital, but it didn't help Incoed him, smote him every ti stopped thes; he knew, he'd tried them all

Nothing stopped them except isolat

ion, the end of all contact

And so he was here, standing in his cell, looking out at the windy, storain that he'd never seen Charlotte, never showed up on her doorstep

Re

Ian turned away fro head in hands that felt slick with sweat Eyes closed, heart pounding, he paced the sed, hunted animal with every step

A tirowled the words, harsher than he intended Always harsher than he intended

The door pushed open and a sli Her small, bare feet made a whispery sound on the wooden floor as she shuffled forward It took hinize her "Maeve?"

She nodded, a swift bob of her head, and took another step toward him, her hands twisted in a pale, nervous ball at her waist Fear tightened the edges of her mouth, wrinkled the flesh of her forehead

"What is it, Mother?"

"Ian" She said his na voice of hers, her lullaby voice?the one he'd always ached for as a child

He stared at her hard, tried to see if she was lucid or de too

17

painfully to think clearly She knew his na "What is it?"