atic doors behind him, but he didn't look back. The wind whipped his hai

len

barely a croak over th

umbling back in her high heels. Her eyes wen

pel of his suit, a smirk playing on his lips. He looked at Ephram lik

just pointed a shaking finger upward. "You said yo

a lie, anything. "Ephram, I... Andrew wasn't feeling wel

n was glowing with health. He smelled

thier than I a

e, using his height to loom over Ephram. "Don't be so sensitive, buddy

his palms until he felt the skin break. "This is my family. Erl

scuffed sneakers, the desperation etched into his face. T

ing deeper under the shel

ice was flat. "I don't like watch

unched in the throat. "She tre

ound Erlene's shoulders again, possessive and firm.

r back on Ephram. "Tell Grandma I

s body coiled to move, to grab

s path. "Sir, please. Keep the e

fade into the curtain of rain. He felt hollowed out. Like som

back to the elevator. He d

m of the monitor had changed. It was sl

's pupils with a penlight. He looked up

grabbed her hand again. Tears blu

ed a slit. She looked past

lie tasted like ash. "She's just outside... sh

es cleared for a second, and a single tear trac

nd. It was a faint,

she breathed. "Don't...

hand vanished. Her

eeeeeeee

flat line that

his watch. "Time

forward to pul

" Ephr

was already cooling. He stayed there for

put the glasses back on. But behind the lenses, the soft, pleading look was gon