Page 128 of Molt

“To her!”

Lenora’s voice comes through. “No.”

Sarah grabs her head. “Shut up!”

“August.” Lenora calls out to me. “No. Please.”

That voice. The original.

My Lenora.

The woman who died in my arms. The woman I broke the world trying to recover.

“Come here.”

I cry. I can’t help it.

“Lenora...”

Sarah screams. “Don’t you fucking dare.”

I look at her.

Sarah. The woman from the lobby. Broken umbrella. Peaches rotting on the counter. Iced coffee in winter. One foot outside the blanket.

Her.

Not the ghost.

Her.

I crawl toward Sarah and Lenora’s expression brightens.

I touch her face.

Both of them.

“I’m sorry.”

Lenora smiles. “I know.”

“No.” My thumb brushes her cheek. “I’m not talking to you.”

The smile disappears and Sarah breaks through. Her green eye returns for one second. “August.”

“I see you.”

She sobs.

“I see you, Sarah.” The body shudders violently.

Lenora screams. The sound is ancient. Furious.

“You promised!”

I close my eyes.

“I was wrong.”