；　then；　thanks。　Sort　of。〃

I　grinned。　〃You're　sort　of　wele。〃

I　had　to　have　seven　stitches　to　c　lose　the　cut　on　my　forehead。　After　the　sting

of　the　local　anesthetic；　there

was　no　pain　in　the　procedure。　Jacob　held　my　hand　while　Dr。　Snow　was　sewing；

and　I　tried　not　to　think

about　why　that　was　ironic。

We　were　at　the　hospital　forever。　By　the　time　I　was　done；　I　had　to　drop　Jacob

off　at　his　home　and　hurry

back　to　cook　dinner　for　Charlie。　Charlie　seemed　to　buy　my　story　about　falling

in　Jacob's　garage。　After

all；　it　wasn't　like　I　hadn't　been　able　to　land　myself　in　the　ER　before　with　no

more　help　than　my　own　feet。

This　night　was　not　as　bad　as　that　first　night；　after　I'd　heard　the　perfect

voice　in　Port　Angeles。　The　hole

came　back；　the　way　it　always　did　when　I　was　away　from　Jacob；　but　it　didn't

throb　so　badly　around　the

edges。　I　was　already　planning　ahead；　looking　forward　to　more　delusions；　and

that　was　a　distraction。

Also；　I　knew　I　would　feel　better　tomorrow　when　I　was　with　Jacob　again。　That

made　the　empty　hole　and

the　familiar　pain　easier　to　bear；　relief　was　in　sight。　The　nightmare；　too；　had

lost　a　little　of　its　potency。　I　was

horrified　by　the　nothingness；　as　always；　but　I　was　also　strangely　impatient　as

I　waited　for　the　moment　that

would　send　me　screaming　into　consciousness。　I　knew　the　nightmare　had　to　end。

The　next　Wednesday；　before　I　could　get　home　from　the　ER；　Dr。　Gerandy　called　to

warn　my　father　that　I

might　possibly　have　a　concussion　and　advised　him　to　wake　me　up　every　two　hours

through　the　night　to

make　sure　it　wasn't　serious。　Charlie's　eyes　narrowed　suspiciously　at　m