Seven words

ear her office. The sunlight was soft through th

stirred her tea. "Did th

ped. And she's afraid

ed. "Afrai

raid of him. I just gave he

ou're becoming someon

me that

p in a mock toast.

er glass gentl

ng game,"

moved on with its

ed like tectonic plates

-fragile, guilty, but sha

Ma

walking confident

ra had only ju

ogne, freshly printed documents, desperation disguised as

, the air fe

s moved

red a litt

passed, not out of re

ed it i

ing wa

Em

punch came

A forwarded email. Internal. Sent to e

REVISED REPORT

from h

s bli

sent anyth

ned th

d turned

onth-raw, unpolished, full of internal note

ents

crews this up again,

less; they never

miracles but

this part i

nt for

ent with a perfec

us's updated re

one s

ryo

rom his face. "No, no, no

eked over th

whis

stifled

ed his offic

gers shook as he checked the outgoing mail server. There it was. A

. It ha

hone

? People are saying

n't re

ldn

message, fr

ed to talk.

elt the

happening,"

it