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to see Jared again。 Of course; I’d been similarly occupied。

 Maybe he’s with Walter。 Maybe that’s where he’s been;Melanie thought hopefully。

 That’s not why we’re going to see Walter。

 No。 Of course not。Her tone was repentant; but I realized that Walter did not mean as much to her as he 
did to me。 Naturally; she was sad that he was dying; but she had accepted that oute from the 
beginning。 I; on the other hand; could not bring myself to accept it; even now。 Walter was my friend; not 
hers。 I was the one he’d defended。 

 

 I hated this room。 In the darkness; with the odd shadows thrown by the weak glow; it seemed only 

more forbidding。 There was a new smell—the room reeked of slow decay and stinging alcohol and bile。 
Two of the cots were occupied。 Doc’s feet hung over the edge of one; I recognized his light snore。 On 
the other; looking hideously withered and misshapen; Walter watched us approach。

 “Are you up for visitors; Walt?” Ian whispered when Walter’s eyes drifted in his direction。

 “Ungh;” Walter moaned。 His lips drooped from his slack face; and his skin gleamed wetly in the low 
light。 
“Is there anything you need?” I murmured。 I pulled my hands free—they fluttered helplessly in the air 

between me and Walter。 
His loosely rolling eyes searched the darkness。 I took a step closer。 
“Is there anything we can do for you? Anything at all?” 
His eyes roamed till they found my face。 Abruptly; they focused through the drunken stupor and the 

pain。 
“Finally;” he gasped。 His breath wheezed and whistled。 “I knew you would e if I waited long 
enough。 Oh; Gladys; I have so much to tell you。”

 CHAPTER 31

 Needed

 Ifroze and then looked quickly over my shoulder to see if someone was behind me。 
“Gladys was his wife;” Jamie whispered almost silently。 “She didn’t escape。” 
“Gladys;” Walter said to me; oblivious to my reaction。 “Would you believe I went and got cancer? What 


are the odds; eh? Never took a sick day in my life…” His voice faded out until I couldn’t hear it; but his 
lips continued to move。 He was too weak to lift his hand; his fingers dragged themselves toward the edge 
of the cot; toward me。

 Ian nudged me forward。 
“What should I do?” I breathed。 The sweat beading on my forehead had nothing to do with the humid 
heat。 
“。 。 。 grandfather lived to be a hundred and one;” Walter wheezed; audible again。 “Nobody ever had 
cancer in my family; not even the cousins。 Didn’t your aunt Regan have skin cancer; though?” 
He looked at me trustingly; waiting for an answer。 Ian poked me in the back。 

 

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。 
“Maybe that was Bill’s aunt;” Walter allowed。 
I shot a panicked glance at Ian; who shrugged。 “Help;” I mouthed at him。 
He motioned for me to take Walter’s searching fingers。 
Walter’s skin was chalk white and translucent。 I could see the faint pulse of blood in the blue veins on 


the back of his hand。 I lifted his hand gingerly; worried about the slender bones that Jamie had said were 


so brittle。 It felt too light; as if it were hollow。 
“Ah; Gladdie; it’s been hard without you。 It’s a nice place here; you’ll like it; even when I’m gone。 
Plenty of people to talk to—I know how you need to have your conversation。…” The volume of his 
voice sank until I couldn’t make out the words anymore; but his lips still shaped the words he wanted to 
share with his wife。 His mouth kept moving; even when his eyes closed and his head lolled to the side。

 Ian found a wet cloth and began wiping Walter’s shining face。 
“I’m not good at… at deception;” I whispered; watching Walter’s mumbling lips to make sure he wasn’t 


listening to me。 “I don’t want to upset him。” 
“You don’t have to say anything;” Ian reassured me。 “He’s not lucid enough to care。” 
“Do I look like her?” 
“Not a bit—I’ve seen her picture。 Stocky redhead。” 
“Here; let me do that。” 
Ian gave me the rag; and I cleaned the sweat off Walter’s neck。 Busy hands always made me feel more 


fortable。 Walter continued to mumble。 I thought I heard him say; “Thanks; Gladdie; that’s nice。”


 I didn’t notice that Doc’s snores had stopped。 His familiar voice was suddenly there behind me; too 
gentle to startle。 
“How is he?” 
“Delusional;” Ian whispered。 “Is that the brandy or the pain?” 
“More the pain; I would think。 I’d trade my right arm for some morphine。” 
“Maybe Jared will produce another miracle;” Ian suggested。 
“Maybe;” Doc sighed。 
I wiped absently at Walter’s pallid face; listening more intently now; but they didn’t speak of Jared 

again。 
Not here;Melanie whispered。 

 

 Alone;she added。

 I thought about the last time I’d seen him—the kiss; the belief…He probably wanted some time to 

himself。

 I hope he isn’t out there convincing himself that you’re a very talented actress…slash…Seeker 
again。…

 That’s possible; of course。

 Melanie groaned silently。 
Ian and Doc murmured in quiet voices about inconsequential things; mostly Ian catching Doc up on what 


was going on in the caves。


 “What happened to Wanda’s face?” Doc whispered; but I could still hear him easily。


 “More of the same;” Ian said in a tight voice。


 Doc made an unhappy noise under his breath and then clicked his tongue。


 Ian told him a bit about tonight’s awkward class; about Geoffrey’s questions。


 “It would have been convenient if Melanie had been possessed by a Healer;” Doc mused。


 I flinched; but they were behind me and probably didn’t notice。


 “We’re lucky it was Wanda;” Ian murmured in my defense。 “No one else —”


 “I know;” Doc interrupted; good…natured as always。 “I guess I should say; it’s too bad Wanda didn’t 


have more of an interest in medicine。”


 “I’m sorry;” I murmured。 Iwas careless to reap the benefits of perfect health without ever being curious 
about the cause。


 A hand touched my shoulder。 “You have nothing to apologize for;” Ian said。


 Jamie was being very quiet。 I looked around and saw that he was curled up on the cot where Doc had 


been napping。


 “It’s late;” Doc noted。 “Walter’s not going anywhere tonight。 You should get some sleep。”


 “We’ll be back;” Ian promised。 “Let us know what we can bring; for either of you。”


 I laid Walter’s hand down; patting it cautiously。 His eyes snapped open; focusing with more awareness 


than before。 
“Are you leaving?” he wheezed。 “Do you have to go so soon?” 


 

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” 
He smiled and closed his eyes again。 His fingers locked around mine with brittle strength。 
Ian sighed。 
“You can go;” I told him。 “I don’t mind。 Take Jamie back to his bed。” 
Ian glanced around the room。 “Hold on a sec;” he said; and then he grabbed the cot closest to him。 It 


wasn’t heavy—he lifted it easily and slid it into place next to Walter’s。 I stretched my arm to the limit; 
trying not to jostle Walter; so that Ian could arrange the cot under it。 Then he grabbed me up just as 
easily and set me on the cot beside Walter。 Walter’s eyes never fluttered。 I gasped quietly; caught off 
guard by the casual way Ian was able to put his hands on me—as though I were human。

 Ian jerked his chin toward Walter’s hand clasped around mine。 “Do you think you can sleep like that?” 
“Yes; I’m sure I can。” 
“Sleep well; then。” He smiled at me; then turned and lifted Jamie from the other cot。 “Let’s go; kid;” he 


muttered; carrying the boy with no more effort than if he were an infant。 Ian’s quiet footsteps faded into 


the distance until I couldn’t hear them anymore。 
Doc yawned and went to sit behind the desk he’d constructed out of wooden crates and an aluminum 
door; taking the dim lamp with him。 Walter’s face was too dark to see; and that made me nervous。 It 
was like he was already gone。 I took fort in his fingers; still curled stiffly around mine。


 Doc began to shuffle through some papers; humming almost inaudibly to himself。 I drifted off to the 
sound of the gentle rustling。


 Walter recognized me in the morning。 
He didn’t wake until Ian showed up to escort me back; the cornfield was due to be cleared of the old 
stalks。 I promised Doc I would bring him breakfast before I got to work。 The very last thing I did was to 
carefully loosen my numb fingers; freeing them from Walter’s grasp。


 His eyes opened。 “Wanda;” he whispered。 
“Walter?” I wasn’t sure how long he would know me; or if he would remember last night。 His hand 
clutched at the empty air; so I gave him my left; the one that wasn’t dead。


 “You came to see me。 That was nice。 I know… with the others back… must be hard… for you… Your 
face…” 
He seemed to be having a difficult time making his lips form the words; and his eyes went in and out of 


focus。 How like him; that his first words to me would be full of concern。 
“Everything’s fine; Walter。 How are you feeling?” 
“Ah —” He groaned quietly。 “Not so… Doc?” 

 

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