oveyou,guinevere,iloveyou,ahewhisperofananswering

purr.thenitstopped.forseveralnutes,hopedidntve.

”guin

”sherokedthecatsheadandedforapurr,

strokedagain,edagain.herehing,sheburiedher

headinguineveresolingfuraocry.

”hope”jaalled,ingtothedoor.”areyouup”gulping

sobsbubbledupfroheyonly

greloser,hopingshewaswrong,hoping

sheter.sheuldjeelit,agiant

etiness,abighole,ahugealoneness.

”sie”hetouchedherhead.”hope,isit”hetouchedthe

cat,lefthishandthereanute,andjusthinkingthat

shedidntknosheodobecauseeverythingsheloved

alsaroundherandguinevereboth,and

leanedoverclose.

hedidntsayanything,justsatthereshelteringtheandwhen

santhaaskinghey

goingtoday.guineverejustdied.”

”iorry,hope,”santhasaid,softlynoloseby.

”oldher.”totakethebus

today

”hopedidnthearanansartedgagain,because

theantha

theonesheedjustthen.theonesheedwasholding

hertight.

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