【】brush.jahallengeorehatappreciationinan

uatedbackdrop.

shehadusedxeddiaforthisoneindiainkforthedetailofeye

andzzle,aforthefur,entalpatchesof

distantgrass.thechht.shehadthatvision.he

ohesitate,otouchthe

vas,ifheulddoitjusticeor.

theuredrachel,bluearoundthelipsandgaspingforair.

ing,ingtodoitforher,hedugdeepinsideandbegan.

alinguphalargebrushoantgrasses,heuseda

lightber,andgreen.hegaveit

depththhsepias.

layeringacryliverovedinthe

grassesralinlor,buttextured.thoughrachelhadntput

floheyches.several

photographsdepictedtheonflohe

froehindbythesun.

didsheadded

itake,butnodecision,really.hesaony

betalandplantlifeinabarrenland.theflowerswerea

st.

hestayedallttonbuds.hey

didntcapturethehaloeffectheed,heschedtoaepencil

hadulledtip,blendingthelineshhisfihenatissue,

thenattonshere,heputascrapofpapertoweling

aroundtheendoftheshebuds.satisfiedatlast,

hesteppedback.

itoingfortwo

hoursandaanthasaidsheootiredfor

school.

hopesaidsheedtobehraalledthehospital,

prayingthatrachelhadiroved,butshehadnt.

hepushedhishandsthroughhishair.”illberunningaroundtalking

otheryouinschool,anditwould

dondgoodtoknohere.illpickyhtafter.

youseeherthen.”santhaarguedastheydrove,butheheld

firheialohedoctorstoexpressfearsthathe

didntthegirlstohear.

anthadidntbudge.wherea

tinouspoutherewassheer

apprehension.

hetriedtouand

hthis.”

”theresalltheotherkids.andpaher.andteague.”

”teague,”hesaid,nithislanguagehcare,”isnoth

yourspit.asforpaher,theyrenotchbetterifthey

side.lifeisaboutking.yougointhere

hlydia.”speak,hesaid,”itshard.iknow.”

”itsrtfying.”

”yes.”hesighed.”butthesoosdohesoosdone,if

yougetdrift.”heputhiselbohesteeringched

alineofrelutteeulefrobus.helookedbackat

santha.ifsheakeup,itoreinkeepingh

thenaturalcurlthat,forage,shedleftinherhair.”iwas

heotheight.”

”y

””oldyouheousyoulookedalldressedup.youdid

loeous,butyoulookeveeoorebeautiful.re

you.”sheflippeddoovedherheadintherror.

”ilookdorky.”

”beautiful.anyonesaysdifferent,theyrejealous.

”shesopedherhairback.houtthesleeksheeffectwasr

..

reree.

”heregoesnothing,”sheled,flippingupthevisor.sheopened

thedoorandhadbarelysteppedoutetohe

doorclosedhasolidnehud.

onedoedagreat

distancebehindhibeltedsafelyin,buttoofaraway.whenhe

tionedherforedintothe

passengersseat,andsat.

”,sie”sosoftlythatitwasnearlyawhisper,shesaid,”i

haveafunnyfeeling.”

”funnyfeeling””i.

likeihguinevere.”jacksheartbuckled.hereachedoverand

pulledherintoahugovertheotherisnt

dying,”hesaidintoherhair.

”herdie.”

”isaidthataboutguinevere.”

”guineverehadatur.”

”isaturanydifferentfrobloodclot””god,yes,”hesaid,

hat.

”abloodclotisntpoisonousinitself.itjustgetsintheil

orhasbadstuffinit.itgroreadsand

doessickthingstotheplahes.”itplification,

possiblyinaurate,buthell,he.”theyjust

giveheragadoseofthatdiciobustuptheclot,thenwell

fightharderthaowakeherup.”

”hoehersllvoice.

”idontknoknohinkofa

giveraedie.theyhadihe

dripthroughthenight.”itsaquestionofherisksagainst

thebes,”steveexplaiheyhehalljack,steve

andkara,tsandanursehrachel,and

dy.”antiagulantsthinthebloodandbreakuptheclot,but

thinningthebloodraisestheriskofbleedingelse

rachelbleeding.”jackagreed.butheic.”

sheresponding”steveshookhishead.heothers

offeredanexplanation,hesaid,”e

drip,andthenjustself.

lohebedrail,hesatonthebedandexerhelshands

andar.hetoldherthatthediehey

uldntsee,andthatitatteroftibeforeher

breathingquietedandherliroved.hesofarastosay

thatohosethingshappened,shewould.

”soundslikeaurseinthepoivethinking,”davidsung

saidfrohedoor.hean,buthes

well.

todaysgrayplaid.hishair,eyes,andshoesweredark,

shiny,andstraight.

heeheroothosedarkeyesonrachelandputtheheelsof

hishandsonthebedrailajack.”ithoughtidesee

forselfaybegiveyoualittlesupport.”he

sly.”iseerealizeditwas

thisbad.”jackedgyenoughtolashout.”didyouthinki

wasjoking

deitallup,justlookingforanexcusetogetoutofworkfora

upleofy

fault.”itifdav

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