Itwasacloudlessnight.
Thefullmoonhunginthesky,yetnotasiarwasvisible.Thedarknesswasabsolute,pure.Yetthemoonitselfwasdim,shroudedinahazyhalo,asifveiledingauze.
Threadsofmoonlight,fineanduntouchable,slippedthroughthehalf-opengsswindowandthelooselydrawnfloralcurtains,spillingintothequietbedroom.
Atfirst,thelighthadsettledonthecream-coloreddesk,castingafainttriangurglow.Butnow,thatglowseemedalive,twisting,slidingoffthedesk,creepingacrossthehardwoodfllidihew,andfinallyclimbingontothewhitefour-posterbedwithitspartedcurtains.Thereitpausedbesideaslender,palehaingatopthesheet.
Reyasummonedwhatstrengthshehadleft,pushingherselfuprightagainsttheheadboard.Shecouldfeelhervitalenergysurginguntrolblytowardherabdomen.Asshemoved,thesheetslipped,revealingherbare,gauntshoulders.Herskihanthemoonlightitself,fwless,smoothaspor,almostglowingfaintlyinthedark.
Thistime,itwasingfaster.Stronger.
Sheslowlyraisedherarm,themovementsosluggishitwasbarelyperceptible.Itwasn''''''''tthatshedidn''''''''twanttomovefaster.Herbodysimplydidn''''''''thaveenoughenergylefttotroleventhiswispofhazymoonlight.
Damnit.Ofallnights,whymusttheskyfuntalunarhalotonight?
Drawingasharpbreath,shesuddenlyliftedherhand,pressedhermoonlight-entangledfioherforehead.Instantly,asmallpurplishbirthmark-likespotbetweenherbrowsfshedcrimsonlight.
Shestruggledtutetheenergyflow,fherselftosteadyherbreath.Themoonlightrosefromherforeheadlikeaglowingstrandofgossamer,suspehestiflingairofthebedroom.Oetheredtoherbrow,theotherstretgtowardthegapiains.
IfLuweretoseethis...
No.Notimetoworryaboutthat.
Theweightinherlowerabdomengrewheavier,bulgingfaintlybehesheet.
Almostthere.Almost.
Reyacouldn''''''''tsitupproperly.Shebentherlegs,half-reingagainsttheheadboard,herfeetphemattress,herhandsgrippingthecarvedbedframe.Sweatbeadedonherforehead,heramethysthairgingtohercheeks,makingherdelicatefaceappearghostlypale.
Afaintmoanbrokeinthedarkness.Soft,asifsqueezedoutfromthecrathewoodenfloorboardsbehebed.Ifoenedclosely,itwasalmostindistinct,yetitcarriedanagresonance,asifdredgedfromthedepthsofhersoul.
Tick.
Thepinkarmclothenightstandclickedasthehourhandpassedone.Reyaexhaledinrelief.Themoonlighttetheredtoherforeheadsuddenlysnappedfree,recoilinglikeabrokenrubberband,instantlyretreatingbacktothecream-coloreddesk.Besideit,ablue-coveredtextbook''''''''spagesflutteredfaintly,asifbrushedbyaphantombreeze,beforesettlingbatostillness.
TheonlysouintheroomwasReya''''''''sraggedbreathing.Everythingwasnain.Asifnothinghadhappened.
Halfanhourter,shesatupagain,wipingthesweatfromherbrowwiththebackofherhand.Shesweptherlong,violethairoveroneshoulderandcarefullyliftedthesheet.Behyaclusterofgrape-sizedvioletorbs.
Fromthenightstand,sheretrievedaslender-neckedgssbottle,pullingoutthewoodenstopper.Withherslenderfingers,shepinchedeachorbonebyone.
Pop.Pop.Pop.
Thecolorlessliquidinsideseepedout,collegile.Thepurplehusksshriveled.Withalightrubbetweenherfiheycrumbledintodust.
Shetedthem.Forty-eight.
Stilloneshort.Whichmeantshehadehispainfornothing.
Sheshookthebottlegently.Theliquidinsidewasslightlythickerthanwater,gingtothegsswalls.
Carefully,shestoredthebottleaway.Itwasn''''''''tenoughtofreeLufromhisstateasalivingdead,butatleastitwouldlethimholdonalittlelonger,justenoughtoseemnormal.
Reyayonherside,gazingatthephotoonthenightstand:alittlegirlinaprincessdress,smililybesideatall,handsomemaninapoliiform.
Fourteenyears.Shehadgrownupdaybyday,whilehehadaged.
Shehadthoughttheywouldhavemany,manymoreyearstogether.Butayearago,anactatacrimesehadnearlytakenhimfromher.
Luckily,I''''''''mademoness.Isaveyou.
Forayearshehadgtothatbelief.
Justalittlelonger.
Damnthatmanwhoforcedmetodrinkstnight.
Anddamnthishazymoon.