nna

days p

aps it

aning when the su

nd the tepid water that Rocco shoved thro

ld was the

row, making my joints ache with a familiar, biting

e metal slot slid ope

push food thr

sleek tablet acro

tch," he grunted, his

over to the devi

o life, the brightn

a live

of white roses. A string quartet was playing Vivaldi, the elegant

s a w

wed

asn't t

panned to

and imposing against the soft florals. He wasn't smiling. He looke

sic swelled

lked down

re than my entire existence. It was tight-fitting, perfectly

slid a piece of paper a

t up, my f

ce pa

ble Differences and

he priest was speaking no

down at t

didn't

years, a strange, holl

ed the

a Vit

into the hidden

ing down my ribs and pockets, bu

was sti

slows the heart. The

the tiny

ante took Valeri

Vitiello, tak

the vial

nothing. Inno

lowed

floor, clutching the tablet

a hard thud ag

ano

it sl

... t

te was sliding a r

n. Straight into

ond, I thought

ing cold wasn't painful anymore. It was

stopped d

s wasn't a

s fre