Page 31 (1/2)

She was lying on the floor beneath the bed, talking in soether as if they were a sentence

"Peachchairmouse"

"Selena?" He couldn't keep the dread out of his voice

Shesound and crawled back toward hih in the air

He saw the back of her head first, her long, tangled

74

locks separated to reveal the triangular swatch of shaved skin, covered now in a peachy fuzz Her healing scar was a blistering red trail through the neth

She turned suddenly and thrust her hand out at hiray fur and smiled up at him

"Jesus!" He surged down and batted the thing out of her hand It plopped on the floor and skidded back under the bed

Her smile slowly fell "I amIan?"

Christ, he didn't know if she was talking to hih his hair, trying to hold on to his te harder to hold on to his hope

"Corasped her hand, leading her to the bed She sat on the softabove the floor, her hands clasped together in her lap Turning, she gave him a look of such pure, childlike confusion that he wanted to cry

"Can you understand my words?"

She stared at his le, see her trying to understand and answer It took her about three minutes, but finally she nodded "Bowl" Her mouth twisted in what had to be a smile

"Good Let's try a few questions again, shall we? I think we'll st?"