"Avery," she said, eyes flashing, "Avery, Avery."

I held the snake in my hands. "I need to take care of it. It's lonely."

"Animals belong in the outdoors, not in kindergarten."

"Then I belong in the outdoors, too!"

"Avery, if you continue this for one moment longer –"

"Don't worry," I whispered, almost to myself. "Flora will get you. Flora will get you."

She came a few minutes later, rage flickering on and off in her pale face. "What's all this?"

Miss Duncan glared. "Your sister brought a snake into a kindergarten classroom."

"What the bloody –"

"Flora!" I yelped....

"Avery," she said, eyes flashing, "Avery, Avery."

I held the snake in my hands. "I need to take care of it. It's lonely."

"Animals belong in the outdoors, not in kindergarten."

"Then I belong in the outdoors, too!"

"Avery, if you continue this for one moment longer –"

"Don't worry," I whispered, almost to myself. "Flora will get you. Flora will get you."

She came a few minutes later, rage flickering on and off in her pale face. "What's all this?"

Miss Duncan glared. "Your sister brought a snake into a kindergarten classroom."

"What the bloody –"

"Flora!" I yelped....

Outnumbered. Jezebel stands on the ledge, hands fluttering up and down the slick chains. Outnumbered. She tries to breathe, but her lungs are collapsing.

The flavor of hospital-stale, taste of bitter pills and pomegranate streaked on the sheets permeates her stupor, glitterdust before her eyes.

Flash. She is back to the ledge. They dance around her, ritual motions, holding soft torches and reaching out to stroke her draining carcass. Jezebel leans over, testing the water. There is gulping sea bellow, and beyond that, empty. She will fall into the turquoise sheet and then past it, going going gone.

Outnumbered. She...

"Skipper! Where are you, dammit?"

Op.8. Op.8.

"Wretched dog! You've only got so much time!"

Locate Rory. Locate. Locating. Locating.

"Where are you?" Another voice chimes in. "I want my paper. It's early in the morning. They told us you were an obedient creature."

Rory found, chasing butterflies on the south lawn. Come closer. Closer.

The little girl shouts, "Skipp-er! Skipp-er!"

Skipper barks, and Rory calls back. Safety is across the bridge, across the broken-windowed fairy house and shattered pond, but the voices are coming and Skipper has no idea how to stop them.

"I want my newspaper! Come over...

"Skipper! Where are you, dammit?"

Op.8. Op.8.

"Wretched dog! You've only got so much time!"

Locate Rory. Locate. Locating. Locating.

"Where are you?" Another voice chimes in. "I want my paper. It's early in the morning. They told us you were an obedient creature."

Rory found, chasing butterflies on the south lawn. Come closer. Closer.

The little girl shouts, "Skipp-er! Skipp-er!"

Skipper barks, and Rory calls back. Safety is across the bridge, across the broken-windowed fairy house and shattered pond, but the voices are coming and Skipper has no idea how to stop them.

"I want my newspaper! Come over...