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"No!" But she was too late The beautiful pink petals were crushed, the flower broken She looked up at him, confused

"Thorns Don't touch it again" At her puzzled look, he grabbed her hand, pulled the bloody palm up toward him "See? Pain Thorn Oh, Christ "

She didn't understand Had she done so?

He stared at her for a long tihed "Who are you, oddess," he whispered softly, "that you don't remember about thorns?"

He was talking too fast again She didn't understand the words, but she heard a wistful sadness in his voice Soain

"Good-bye, Selena Be a good girl for Edith"

She stared up at him, afraid he'd hear the tears in her voice if she spoke Slowly she nodded

And then he was gone

Selena stood in the center of the room, alone Fear welled up inside her,she knehat she'd done wrong

Edith bustled in frole flower from the vase on the table and wrapped a towel around the thorny steaze locked on Selena's, the old woo, lassie 'Tis a rose"

Rose The floas call

ed a rose, and she remembered all at once that it came in many colors

"I'll put some scent of roses in your bathwater, eh, child?"

Selena didn't understand The woe foreign-ness to her words She didn't sound like Ian Still, it was better to simply nod and pretend Better that than speak and disappoint

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