except for the sound o

the back of her hand against his

" she said. "The w

yes snapping open. They were gl

own body,"

was a death sentence. She knew that,

She picked up the blister pack of

y were half red, half white. She

They'll kill the bacteria

in her hand like she was

ked, his lip curling.

that kills bad things in your body." She was parroting what the wilderness course instructor had drilled into th

was clearly th

ce dripping with disgust. "Y

he capsules went flying, bo

n," he declared, his hand f

She was tired, scared, and her

he yelled. "It's goi

He was a product of his time, whatever time that was,

onsume it," he said coldly. "T

ill from a stranger. It was a twi

o calm down. She couldn't force it dow

s. She blew the dust off them. Then, she po

of herself and pushed the other

ked, looking him dead in the eye. "In

s. A flicker of understanding crossed his face.

ed, his voice leaving

ological gamble was enormous. Then she thought of the tabloid headlines, of the blood already soaking into her priceless antique mattress, and of the fact that if this man died in her

eyes wide with sho

ter and set it down. Sh

t to see if I drop dead. But you

is hand. She was making him choose

ce for any sign of deceit. She sta

is body. His teeth chatter

uldn'

m like they were made of glass. He looked at her one last time, memorizing her feature

is mouth and took a lo

wall