ushed open the front door and walked straight across th

from her coat pocket. She didn't look at the words

xposing the red-hot core. Flames immediately licked upward, catching

Corda walked out, carrying a plastic basin full of

over to the fireplace, staring at the curling,

d at Bridget, asking if it was

ace her mother. She looked at the deep wrinkles

he led her to the worn sofa and pulled her down to

e told Corda that when she was under the water, something bro

hat the old Bridget

ny. She gripped Bridget's h

ridget, pulling her into a tight, desperate hug. She sobbed, b

lder woman thought the personality shift was a psycholog

e smell of cheap lye soap filled her nose. The

ducated woman in 1978 that a soul from the future possessed

inal goodbye to the girl who drowned. She accept

r back gently, whispering that she was fine, and

r apron. She forced a smile and told Bridget to go sit on

lked to the front door a

bruised orange. The cool evening breeze

en railing. She closed her eyes, letting

f heavy boots on grav

rd the road. A tall man wearing a dark c

His jawline was sharp enough to cut glass. His eyes we

ther. This was the volunteer who pul

opped walking. He turned his head and loo

heart gave a violent, uncontr

s a purely biological reaction-a mature woman's primal appr

ok away. She stared right back at him, her ga

A muscle ticked in his jaw. A flash

of his jacket, pulled it up against the wind, and quicke