Osborn

not recall the drive, only the sensation of my own heart laboring to beat its way out of my

tly, bloodless white, her breaths so

de her, my hands hovering, terrified to touch her, to cause more harm. I fumbled fo

her said. "It is rush hour,

mother did not po

es pale in the dim light. "What happened?" I pleade

. "That... other woman was here," she said, her voice low. "The one in the fine

am before my

or. She was clad in a slinky, wholly inappropriate silk robe, her hair a perfect sculpture.

a terrible shame. She seemed so agitated when she saw me emerging from Carter's apa

oned dart. She was blaming

halt outside. He ran into the building, hi

ging to him as my last earthly hope. "We must get h

"It was dreadful. I believe someone was attempting to break into my apartment. I was so frightened." Sh

floor. I saw the cold calculation in his eyes, the weighing of

begged, my voice bre

atience. He shook my hand from his arm with a violent jerk. "For God's sake, Amira, can yo

, and wrapped a comforting arm around Franci

e polished brass, I saw her expression of concern melt away like wax, revealing the hard, sat

lest thing I ha

onger hear it; there was only a low, dull hum from within my own skull. I fell to my knees, the sound of my own desperate wails a distant, alien noise.

hospital, but w

am sorry, Ms. Osborne. We did everything we were able

minu

ine's imaginary intruder over the ten

ould not seem to draw a full breath. I watched them wheel her body aw

s down my face. I felt not grief, not sadness, but a curious lightness, as if som

lugged in for me, lit up with a text message. It was fr

andle the competition. Don't worry, I'l

I hurled the telephone against the plaster wall. It did not shatter; it burst, the screen cracking into a

ook root in that hollow space inside me. A hard, p