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“Koa!” Through the blackness cloudingup and down besideit “Koa! STOP!!!”

Suddenly, I realize where we are and what I’rip on Jio He cru my face with my hands

“Ji for air “I’m sorry, man I don’t knohat came over me”

Dropping to a knee, I reach for his ar up an elbow to block me “Stay back, bro!”

He’s genuinely terrified, and sha tier ement seem to have left me in one simple threat to Mercy

Rising slowly, I back toward the juice bar, wondering if I should tender nation noait to be fired

Andy sticks his head out “Why don’t you take the afternoon off,” is all he says before heading back to his office, leaving Mercy and ure out what to do next

Her palainstatback words I’ree with Andy

“I’d better take the afternoon off”

“Okay” Her voice is soft, and holding my forearm, as she rises on her toes to kiss my cheek

Our eyesprotectiveness Nothing hurts Mercy Yeah, I need to get out of here

I spend the rest of the day wandering the streets, looking in shop s and trying to getto do about it I’ve got to figure out what that unknown evil is lurking around Mercy’s house I’ve got to settle that probleet back on the road

My feelings for Mercy are getting out of control I don’t understand them, and I can’t rationalize theht to be inside her et too attached to her when I don’t have anything to offer her at this point

She’s a beautiful, high-class shifter, and I’ue I have to reestablishher seriously As it stands, I can’t even buy her dinner

It’s sunset when I’ about Mercy, I realize I’m so pathetic, I don’t even have a phone to text or call her Briefly, I think of walking back to the discount store and picking up a burner when I see Ji in Doris’s driveway