@@@@@You haven't turned on them; you've just
@@@@@You haven't turned on them; you've just left
their society
We were quiet againI wanted to believe what he said was trueI considered the
wordexpatriate, trying to convince myself that I was nothing worse
Ian exhaled loudly enough to make me jump“When Doc sobers up, we'll get him to take a
look at your face He reached over and put his hand under my chin; this time I didn't flinchHe
turned my head to the side so he could examine the wound
“It's not importantI'm sure it looks worse than it is
“I hope so–it looks awful He sighed and then stretched“I suppose we've hidden long enough
that Kyle's clean and unconsciousWant some help with the dishes?”
Ian wouldn't let me wash the dishes in the stream the way I usually didHe insisted that we go
into the black bathing room, where I would be invisibleI scrubbed dishes in the shallow end of
the dark pool, while he cleaned off the filth left behind by his mystery laborsThen he helped me
with the last of the dirty bowls
When we were done, he escorted me back to the kitchen, which was starting to fill up with the
lunch crowdMore perishables were on the menu: soft white bread slices, slabs of sharp cheddar
cheese, circles of lush pink bolognaPeople were scarfing down the delicacies with abandon,
though the despair was still perceptible in the slump of their shoulders, in the absence of smiles
or laughter
Jamie was waiting for me at our usual counterTwo double stacks of sandwiches sat in front of
him, but he wasn't eatingHis arms were folded as he waited for meIan eyed his expression
curiously but left to get his own food without asking
I rolled my eyes at Jamie's stubbornness and took a b