viev

d a shade of gray that bordered on offensi

bbing the burnt remnants of lasa

was chaoti

the line cooks bellowing orders drowned

en, the skin cracking painf

hese hands saw a ma

r the last time they'd

needs water!" the mana

my stained apron and gra

like a

u

ici

isi

inally end

ng into an alleyway that smelled o

dling next to the o

ringly out

iny. A diamond si

ow rolled down

n, Gen

s my

, rooting themselves t

o him since the w

letting the rain soak into my

" I a

You look like

heavy door and sat on the e

ide, a differen

leather and conditione

oked

nd his eyes were deep

aze fixed straight ahead, staring t

lored jacket pocket and

to my lap like

ened

cklace glitte

e when I w

I said, my voice sounding

ase you ever cam

to look

ease-stained uniform, my ruine

wanted? Scrubbing pl

life," I said,

pathet

oser, invadi

home

n the air, tempt

ver amount to anything. Come h

ked up desp

roje

ead architect is an id

emem

hat I wanted to build th

ttle girl again, desperate for

cold metal o

..

n, his p

ngtone cut through th

ed at th

changed i

rence dropped, replaced

ed it imm

me. Is

kles turning white as

there,

y who he was

ne

o not let the poli

his breath

go. Now!"

ward, throwing me b

?" I

t even l

t, Gene

We're m

id ge

to a halt at the

move. He reached across m

go. It's an

ut

ushe

hed me out of

fell backward

r slamm

ling against the wet asphalt,

ud, clutching

asked if I

a single thing

his precious nephew needed him, he threw

d the b

ttered under the

oked

ed like

ed the

the mud off my le

t come t

heck if he s

did

anym