when a figure ahead

denly gotten o

he saw me, and she rus

ut!" I s

halt, first hitting Bianca,

I was thrown bac

y waist, as if a knife had

my clothes, and I

gainst the wound, blood se

ath, Bianca's tearful voice

oked up, seeing Bianca sl

clutched her knee, tears

Carl's car pulle

door open and

uching beside Bianca, his voice thic

s gentle as if handling fragile porcela

head, her tears

. "I just wanted to explain to Elizabe

, a flicker of tr

head, feigning fear. "Elizab

first," Carl said, his tone neutral

scraped, his tense shou

"I'll take you to the ho

n to look at me, spr

rom pain and blood los

wound, was stained red with b

no grievance, o

seemed t

d, staring at me, h

id no

ed now seemed lodged in hi

pletely snuffed out, a wave of

g vital was slipping

he tried, he coul