of the hospital bed, the darkness of the

called her a "beautiful, but necessary, acquisition," flashed be

date to herself over and over. A mantra to keep the

The wild panic began to recede, r

rp knocks echoe

ur nurse. I need to

oice flat and devoid of emotio

na, avoiding everyone won't solve your problems

d, go

ice grabbed a pillow and pressed it over her ears, t

tread. The sound of expensive leather shoes on linoleum. The footsteps stopped directly outside her

d penetrating even through the wood. "I'm Mr. Hans

had, in her other life, calmly read

per into the corner of the bed. It felt like

wood. "Miss Luna? My name is Arthur Vance. I'm here on be

the end. She stared at the door, her heart poun

nswer, the doorkn

echoed in the

elf off the bed. Her bare feet hit the cold floor as she launched herself at t

shuddered

tion now. "This childish behavior is unproductiv

inst the cool wood of the door, her shoulder aching in

sh. Mr. Hansen will be here tomorrow to speak with yo

s receded do

landed in a heap on the floor. She gasped for air, co

y would never leave her alone. They would hunt her, corner he

ing the edges of the blackout curtains together until

warmth, the way he always believed in her, even when she didn't believe i

ut of here. She

number for her father's head of household, the fami

g myself. I'm c

ut him off. "If a car is not here in thirty minutes, I will

fore he could

flection in the darkened window. A pale, haunted fac

o a small bag, her movements frantic. This

erupted in the hallway. Nurses were scu

the room at the end of the hal

ce's numb fingers, hitting

li

this floor. Just

s awake. And