Blood, Ring and Fire

pte

LL

ce, the one that still had a little medicine in the bottom, but my hands

as g

left to buy more, and there was no more to buy any

the ca

road. Its brake lights finally came on, red in the rain. For on

r, shiny and expensive, the kind of car I had only ever seen in movie

big dark glasses, even though it was the middle of the night. Her lips were pai

ails. It was holding a roll of money held together with a ru

the ground next to my knee

trouble,

nd bored, like she w

ed to roll back up. T

broke. It wasn't sadness this time. It was something h

didn't stop. I ran after the car. It was still moving slowly, and

houted. "St

ar st

glass again. "

me. I could not see her eyes behind the dark glasses, but I could feel

nto the car. It hit her

You almost killed me. You were driving with no lights. Do you know what you

so quick I almost missed it. Then it was gone, a

nother one,

sn't ano

head. "Isn't that what you people do? Beg twi

breathe. "Y

ay from

y brain did. I slapped the glass of the open window, h

led monster, and I hope one day you lose everyth

d slipped, falling back off her head. Lon

nd, a white light

nd the black car. Men were getting out with c

ss Laurent! Miss Laurent, look this way! Do

ng about. I just stood there in the rain, blinded, with my

her breath. She yanked her hood back

red. It took off so fast that the back w

to their cars and raced after it.

Just me and the rain and t

just remember standing in the hospital entrance

're bleedin

ugh my jeans. My finger was still bleedi

ine,"

not

right hallway, leaving muddy footprints behind me.

at happene

he medicine broke. It was the last

, like it belonge

my knee and my finger and put plasters on them while I stared at the

," she said. "Maybe someone

said. "I gave him eve

at me with so much pity

nager came by while you were gone. He wanted to make sure

rstand,

went back to work. Some

s room, my back against the wall. I didn't have the strength to go inside.

started

t of me that I didn't know I could make. I cried for my mother. I cried for her sewing machine. I cried for the medicine

e second, kneeling in that puddle, I had wanted that mo

I sat there. Maybe ten

low, heavy steps. They st

shoes. Above them were the n

Halle

He was maybe forty, with short gray hair and a face that showed nothin

e you?"