424

I have found you in the darkness, so I can find you in the light.

Passing secret

"You'd tell me if you needed help, right?"

He looked at me, just looked, and then scratched his head, a few inches above his ear. "Yeah, why?"

I shrugged. "We haven't been talking for a while and it was just lucky..." I looked out at the street. "Just a coincidence that we walked by each other." I pushed away from the brick wall and turned my back to the dead end of the alley, so I was looking out at the passing cars. "I just want you to know that I'm around. I'm around if you need me."

The corner of his mouth lifted into an almost-smirk and then his expression went blank again. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"So what is it?"

He shook his head. "I can't tell you about this one."

"And you're okay."

"I will be." He nodded and adjusted the strap of his small black duffel bag. "Everything is fine. Don't worry."

How could I? I didn't even know what kind of work he did those days.

Her hands

Her hands are a good place to start. The way she presses her fingers flat against a door to push it open. How easily her fingers bend into a salute, even though she had no military training.

I'm still puzzled by how she taps her fingers on a table without making a sound. And I remember seeing her hands clench into fists while the rest of her body remained passive and loose. At other times, she picked up objects as if they were weapons, testing their weight and balance. Ordinary items too, forks and pens, staplers and water bottles. Armed in any office environment.

It's unsettling to think about because in every other way, she's non-threatening. Few people have seen her rage and power. I am one of them, but you probably won't believe my story. I hardly believe it, seeing how docile she is on normal days. But I knew her in extraordinary times.

423

Chinks on the outside don't matter when you wear two sets of armor.

422

You're doing a dangerous thing, taking away her reason to care.

421

Some days she wanted to tear apart the world and re-make it.

420

Funny how she hated to run, but that was her first instinct.

419

It had to be orange, didn't it?

418

You might call it a lie but she calls it an act.

417

The forecaster told us
It was gonna rain
So we started up a fire
and spread out all our pain.