“Why did you bring these books?” Dolly asks as she lifts a stack of worn notebooks bound with string from Alex’s bag. The Burdizzo dangles from her other hand as commonplace as an umbrella. She’s changed into a black satin baby doll dress to be better company.

            “I didn’t know where to leave them. I didn’t want to leave them.”

            “What’s in them?” she asks as she drops them back onto the floor.

            “A past life,” Alex answers, “What’s outside that door?”

         &...

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