s Point

rs with a small smile. "She

feels tight. I look at the room door. Lana is inside, sitting on t

k in

s soft for a second, then fear fills it again. She pul

eps away so I d

. "They signed it. Y

nket. She lowers her head.

a step closer. She lean

ask, my v

pers. "Here... people are ar

," I say before I

omething sharp in them. Not ange

he murmurs, "but

hrough me. I sw

arlier. Her clothes. Her creams. The sweater she once

ng is rea

o pack my things,"

the chair. "But I didn't want

ooks

tween us g

in. "Time to

bed for balance. I want to reach out to help her, but I keep my han

ide of my chee

ven. When her knees wobble, I react withou

so hard she

and away and holding it up. "I'm sorr

chest rising and fall

ll. Lana walks beside her, a l

or, the cold wind hits us

at the curb. I open

oesn'

.." I

ad. "I don't want

nch me. I bl

ther side," I say gen

door, staring out the window like the world outside might save

Every line of her body screams distance. She looks

n my se

y?" I

esn't

rt th

My hands lie still on the wheel. I keep my

red, you can

ward me. "Don't t

ting, but I

ills the

ow to the door. I see it-the trapped feeling crawling through her c

hisper, "yo

erks like

r voice cracking. "You keep sayi

I grip the wheel. "Te

says fast.

t," I promise.

" she cuts in. "It's

rds burn. But

ns red, and t

to the door handle. Her fingers mov

art s

a-wa

handle hard. T

gh, not tight, just enough to sto

aps around

free

. Her eyes fly to where m

hispers like a

s. "I'm not holding you. I'm not stoppin

ng her hair across her face. She sits still, trembl

ehind

"let me close the door.

esn't

ders drop

to pull away if she wants. She doesn'

She leans her head on t

perfect

turns green,

n't talk. She stares at her ha

I shouldn't have touched you.

She whispers, "I don

twists.

still on the window. "But I don't... feel

. But they break s

n it back

fast. "You talk li

whisper. "I j

t scares me

goes qui

building. She watches the walls closing

lmost too soft to hear. "

"But you need rest. I pr

nd open

, she pulls her legs up

and back

hree ste

en you'r

s always on me. Like a wild animal

ds on sh

nd my back so she se

o the wall, not to me. Her breaths are fast, sh

ator doo

tays near the corner.

oors

inside bec

twist the bottom of her shirt. I want

n again, she walks out f

her at a

use, she stops. Her shoulders l

an

oesn'

and place the key in the lock. The

in first," I

r a long moment. Th

free

es her in a sha

gaze-and my h

s standing inside

wo

tur

ir falling d

ly at the soun

back. Her hand gra

yes

oman

ian," she s

sed... I c

ers dig int

breat

woman standi

son Lana sho