Finding Fullness in Quiet

looked

My internal state

but they didn't land.

id, my voice even, dev

A flicker of something – an

with me. He realized what was real a

ard, her voice

le project. The patch. Trying t

't defend myself. There

ed to unnerve her more th

lict pain, but there

e shouting

tures. This wasn't the satisf

ding abruptly. "Enjoy

ly on the linoleum floor, the scent of her p

defense, a new kind of strengt

ed, another presence be

Maxw

ance staff at Reflection

fixing a leaky fauc

aff, who were either coldly clinic

on room, staring out at the gray trees, he stop

Oakhaven, right?" he

ised he knew my

," I

be a park ranger back ho

He didn't ask abo

l, almost shy smile an

small points of quiet in the oth

be where I was, off

sed apple from the cafeteria tray, a wildflower he'd picked from a crac

response, never push

undemanding, a faint warm

sphere of Reflectio

yone. Any deviation fr

eo once, after he'd left a sm

s eyes were nar

sed the unspoken rules of this place ti