Barry woke in a soft, adjustable hospital bed, swathed in white sheets and bathed in the dim yellow glow of track lighting on the ceiling above that was turned down to a low setting. He was sore, but nothing seemed broken, and he felt relaxed. He was about to roll over and try to go back to sleep until he saw Paz in a bed only a couple yards away from him. She, too, appeared peaceful. He had an irresistible urge to wake her, and found himself standing over her for a minute wondering if he should nudge her shoulder.

When he was about to give up and wander out of the room, Paz’s eyes popped open and she smiled up at him. “Don’t go without me,” she said, voice full of sleep.

The two walked hand in hand into a hallway, so bright with fluorescent light that they had...

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