Prologue-Tisdamazymoo.

faceappearghostlypale.

    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.