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done and do it fast。 I heard the steely sound of the knife ing out of the sheath。
“Be very careful。 Not too deep。”
“You want to do it？”
He inhaled sharply。 “No。”
“Okay。”
I took the ugly knife。 It had a heavy handle and was very sharp； it came to a tapered point at the tip。
I didn’t let myself think about it。 I didn’t want to give myself a chance to be a coward。 The arm； not the
leg—that’s all I paused to decide。 My knees were scarred。 I didn’t want to have to hide that； too。
I held my left arm out； my hand was shaking。 I braced it against the door and then twisted my head so
that I could bite down on the headrest。 I held the knife’s handle awkwardly but tightly in my right hand。 I
pressed the point against the skin of my forearm so I wouldn’t miss。 Then I closed my eyes。
Jared was breathing too hard。 I had to be fast or he would stop me。
Just pretend it’s a shovel opening the ground；I told myself。
I jammed the knife into my arm。
The headrest muffled my scream； but it was still too loud。 The knife fell from my hand—jerking
sickeningly out from the muscle—and then clunked against the floor。
“Wanda！” Jared rasped。
I couldn’t answer yet。 I tried to choke back the other screams I felt ing。 I’d been right not to do this
before driving。
“Let me see！”
“Stay there；” I gasped。 “Don’t move。”
I heard the blanket rustling behind me despite my warning。 I pulled my left arm against my body and
yanked the door open with my right hand。 Jared’s hand brushed my back as I half fell out the door。 It
wasn’t a restraint。 It was fort。
“Healer Knits！ I need you in reception！ This is an emergency！”
“No。” I tried to speak calmly； but I swayed in place。 “I’m okay。 Just an accident。”
She put the microphone down and hurried around to where I stood swaying。 Her arm went around my
waist。
“Oh； honey； what happened to you？”
“So careless；” I muttered。 “I was hiking。… I fell down the rocks。 I was… cleaning up after dinner。 A
knife was in my hand。…”
My hesitations seemed like part of the shock to her。 She didn’t look at me with suspicion—or humor；
the way Ian sometimes did when I lied。 Only concern。
“You poor dear！ What’s your name？”
“Glass Spires；” I told her； using the rather generic name of a herd member from my time with the Bears。
“Okay； Glass Spires。 Here es the Healer。 You’ll be fine in just a moment。”
I didn’t feel panicked at all anymore。 The kindly woman patted my back。 So gentle； so caring。 She
would never harm me。
The Healer was a young woman。 Her hair； skin； and eyes were all a similar shade of light brown。 It
made her unusual looking—monochromatic。 She wore tan scrubs that only added to that impression。
“Wow；” she said。 “I’m Healer Knits Fire。 I’ll get you fixed up directly。 What happened？”
I told my story again as the two women led me down a hallway and then through the very first door。
They had me lie down on the paper…covered bed。
The room was familiar。 I’d been in only one place like this； but Melanie’s childhood was full of such
memories。 The short row of double cabinets； the sink where the Healer was washing her hands； the
bright； clean white walls…
“First things first；” Knits Fire said cheerfully。 She pulled a cabinet open。 I tried to focus my eyes；
knowing this was important。 The cabinet was full of rows and rows of stacked white cylinders。 She took
I saw the label again as she twisted the lid off。 Two short words。No Pain？ Was that what it said？
“Open your mouth； Glass Spires。”
I obeyed。 She took a small； thin square—it looked like tissue paper—and laid it on my tongue。 It
dissolved at once。 There was no flavor。 I swallowed automatically。
“Better？” the Healer asked。
And it was。 Already。 My my head was clear—I could concentrate without difficulty。 The pain had
melted away with the tiny square。 Disappeared。 I blinked； shocked。
“Yes。”
“I know you feel fine now； but please don’t move。 Your injuries are not treated yet。”
“Of course。”
“Cerulean； could you get us some water？ Her mouth seems dry。”
“At once； Healer Knits。”
The older woman left the room。
The Healer turned back to her cabinets； opening a different one this time。 This； too； was filled with white
containers。 “Here we are。” She pulled one from the top of a stack； then took another from the other side。
Almost as if she were trying to help me fulfill my mission； she listed the names as she reached for them。
“Clean—inside and out… Heal… Seal… And where is… ah； Smooth。 Don’t want a scar on that pretty
face； do we？”
“Ah… no。”
“Don’t worry。 You’ll be perfect again。”
“Thank you。”
“You’re very wele。”
She leaned over me with another white cylinder。 The top of this one came off with a pop； and there was
an aerosol spray nozzle underneath。 She sprayed my forearm first； coating the wound with clear； odorless
mist。
“Healing must be a fulfilling profession。” My voice sounded just right。 Interested； but not unduly so。 “I
haven’t been in a Healing facility since insertion。 This is very interesting。”
“Yes； I like it。” She started spraying my face。
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter； processtext/abclit。html
”
She smiled。 I guessed that I was not the first curious soul。 “This is Clean。 It will make sure nothing
foreign stays in the wound。 It kills off any of the microbes that might infect the wound。”
“Clean；” I repeated to myself。
“And the Inside Clean； just in case anything has snuck into your system。 Inhale this； please。”
She had a different white cylinder in her hand； a thinner bottle with a pump rather than an aerosol top。
She puffed a cloud of mist into the air above my face。 I sucked in a breath。 The mist tasted like mint。
“And this is Heal；” Knits Fire continued； twisting the cap off the next canister； revealing a small pouring
spout。 “It encourages your tissues to rejoin； to grow the way they should。”
She dribbled a tiny bit of the clear liquid into the wide cut on my arm； then she pushed the edges of the
wound together。 I could feel her touch； but there was no pain。
“I’ll seal this up before I move on。” She opened another container； this one a pliable tube； and then
squeezed out a line of thick； clear jelly onto her finger。 “Like glue；” she told me。 “It holds everything
together and lets the Heal do its job。” She wiped it over my arm in one swift pass。 “Okay； you can move
that now。 Your arm is fine。”
I held it up to look。 A faint pink line was visible under the shiny gel。 The blood was still wet on my arm；
but there was no source anymore。 As I watched； the Healer cleaned my skin with one quick pass of a
damp towel。
“Turn your face this way； please。 Hmm； you must have hit those rocks just exactly wrong。 What a
mess。”
“Yes。 It was a bad fall。”
“Well； thank goodness you were able to drive yourself here。”
She was lightly dripping Heal onto my cheek； smearing it with the tips of her fingers。 “Ah； I love to watch