ng flame in a vast, suffocating darkness.

pleasant sound. "She's beautiful, C

us-pierced through

s voice was flat, cold as a morgu

tal on metal, the soft whir of

ff her arm. Icy fingertips

flicker of strength. Her fingers t

harp. "I think she moved. Are you

. "It's a new formula, calibrated for her. The 'anemia sympto

mind. So that's what this was. The exhaus

"It's me. Yes, we're proceeding now

through the phone's speaker. "Hurry up. I do

her. "M

Caleb said af

Her consciousness d

stabbing at her eyes. She felt hollowed out, weaker than ever bef

st invisible pinprick in

night replayed in her head. Sedative.

to the bathroom. She heaved over the toi

oman staring back was a ghost,

rm milk. His face was a perfect portrait of husbandly conc

weak, fragile smile. "The fruit wine must

him, her eyes downcast to hide

his, you'll feel better," he said, his ton

m. She knew this milk was part of it, too. Another

out in front of him.

Pet

o gaze at the view. The moment Caleb turned back toward t

r hand "

d out, splashing down onto the

nd of panic and remorse. "I'm so sorry, I spilled it! It's a

om 'why aren't you drinking the milk' to

ine, it's just milk," he said, though his j

age the mess she'd created, Hope leaned again

see the rec

, locked the door, a