. She was in a hallway. Walking down. Footsteps echoing. She could hear voices. But she couldn't understand them. Some were screaming, some crying, some muttering. Loud. Loud enough. An elevator at the end of the hall. Walk in. Door close. No buttons. It moves. Up? Down? Door opens. I take Missy's hand. I say let's go dear. Wait, there's William. Move myself in front of my daughter ever so slightly. I can see his Hate. Right behind him. It leaps out and drags me down. I scream in pain, but they just stand there. He's enjoying my being violated by this thing. God, these claws, into my chest, teeth, into my stomach. Missy's just watching me, watching this thing eat me alive. I can see my own blondhair tangled in front of my face. Jacob is watching me too. He's holding out his hand. He wants me to go with him, to let go. I will not! I can beat this thing. I have teeth and claws too. One more shove.... ...and it's gone. So is my daughter, my Missy, my friend, my boss Miss Parker. Jacob turns his head, turns away. Raines stands there, gloating. I walk around. Bleeding out my fears. Everyone turns away. Alia? She is staring at Micheal. Her hair wrapped around them both. She doesn't hear me. Micheal does. He mocks me. Draws her nearer to him, away from me. A new wound opens up. I stumble down. Into a room. A darkfigure sits there. No light, no illumination. One hand is holding up his head. He cannot see me. Even as I walk in front I see him. He bleeds like me. Wounds of hate, of loss, of anger pain knowledge lies truth. I cannot see his face. Only his eyes. I go towards him. He sees me. Straightens up in the chair. I look at him. Move forward, straddle him, sit on his thighs, push against him, put my hands on his head. He reaches for me, embraces me. I can feel his beating heart through my open wounds. I kiss his forehead, his eyelids, his lips. Such bruised lips, so like mine. So soft. Someone has bitten his tongue; I can taste his blood. Where my tongue moves, he is healed. Where his hands stroke me, I am healed. I feel our wounds growing, healing together. It is as if my body is giving of itself to heal him. I feel no envy at this. We kiss, and it goes deeper than I ever imagined. Our tongues move to the rhythm of our racing hearts. I shift myself up, forward, down. He lifts me, our bodies moving to the rhythm of our tongues. I feel such oneness. As long as we are together, I will be safe. The joy causes me to weep. This feeling of love, is it love? rushes through my torso, out into my limbs and into his body. We are no longer solitary.