Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-27569420-20170830150441

“ Sorry Jeff, but this just isn’ t good enough to be published . Don ’ t get me wrong, the language, the style, grammatically perfect . But, you know, this kind of subject you ’ re covering . I ’ m not sure the public can relate to this ”.

5 years earlier Jake’ s mouth would have stooped open at his publisher Darren’ s words. People bought ‘ The Walk’, only to read Golden Crowe Award winner Jeff Matthews<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ section, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">‘ So, where were we again?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’. Such had been the quality of his pen, that in less than 2 years, he had displaced the then Chief Journalist from the post<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. What started out as heading <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">‘ another of those tabloids people buy at the salon<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’, in no time became, quote the Daily Mail, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">‘ Heading one of the most commercially successful magazine of its time<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’. Here, was the man so high in caliber, being rejected for his choice of topic<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Anyone in Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s position would have held his head high, argued with the publisher, possibly even talked of a replacement<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Instead, all Jeff did was curl his lips in a smile<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He acknowledged Darren<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s outstretched hand for a shake, before reaching out for his papers and proceeding to retreat<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">‘ I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll tell you what, depression brings out the worst in the best, and that<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s just what<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s happened with you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ d suggest, why don<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you catch up with Matt? Goodness knows, how long it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s been till you last met<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Listen, you head back home<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And I don<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t mean that little flat in Boston Square you live in<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Spend a week in your hometown in Virginia<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. You know, Matt and you, good old days? Everything will be fine, be assured<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’.

<p class="MsoNormal">As he was lead to the door, Jeff heard Darren<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s words, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll give Matt a call, he<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll be at your flat tomorrow morning<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll organize the whole trip, so sit back and relax<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, a pat on shoulder, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ be strong, man<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The sooner you let go of her memories, the better<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal">_____________________________________________________________________________________

<p class="MsoNormal">A fourth taxi passed right by Jeff, totally ignoring his outstretched thumb<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Rejection, it seemed, had become a routine for Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Talk about Darren not accepting the article, talk now as the taxis avoided him<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Most importantly, talk about life, stealing away his deserved prize<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">A fifth Taxi finally stopped at Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s hitchhike request<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Where to, sir?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, the cabbie asked<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ 39 Trent Road, Boston Square<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”, blurted out Jeff, as he made his way into the backseat<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The taxi sped off<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Details of the last half an hour were blurry in Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s mind<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. All he could recall, was that he had had a meeting with his publisher<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. What was discussed in the meeting, he could not recall<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Perhaps the same things his mom used to tell him over the phone nowadays, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Let go<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Focus on your work<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal">Work<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Jeff removed the papers from his folder<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Word by word, he read, what he had managed to come up with in the past week<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The pride that had evaded him in the meeting room, came rushing back to him in the taxi<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He was the most reputed journalist in town<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. How could his write<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- up of all, be rejected? Such beautiful language, so much thought provoking<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Exactly what had managed to earn the praise of his beloved readers over the past few years<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Darren must have been out of his mind, to have rejected this one<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">The cab sped past the Silverstone Bridge<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was here, that Jeff had first got the idea of writing<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Mind you, the idea wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t his own<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was here that Stella had asked her what he wanted to make of his life<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ It<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s really hard to ascertain<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, he had said<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Sometimes I think I am not the person suited for a 9 to 5 job, but then, end of the day that<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s just everyone does, to have their share of bread<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. What about you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” ?

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve always wanted to broadcast myself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, she had said<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” Everyone says I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got a sweet voice<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Even I personally love to sing<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. So maybe singing is my line<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Although I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got to admit, it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s not gonna be easy with the throat issues I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Every once in a while, during my practice, my throat just gives up<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I try really hard, convince myself to push my limits<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Eventually, I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m fine<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Wow<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. A passionate singer, struggling with her throat<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Sounds like a plot for a rather interesting story<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ So, preacher, why don<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you try and actually write something on that<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. There<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s this upcoming event where you get to submit your articles to some tabloid<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. ‘ The Walk<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’, I guess, was its name? Not praising you or anything, but I certainly think you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got a fair chance to get something published in a tabloid<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Seriously? You<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ re calling me a tabloid writer? Hmph<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.” It was this <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Hmph<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, which had prompted him to submit a few stories to a low<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- circulation magazine<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was his story, which had got the magazine<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s sale doubled that month<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">There wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ t a <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">‘ lone competitor<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ situation, as many would think<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. There were many who would boast about their articles being published<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Articles discussing the business trends of the time, articles screaming on the malign state of the state soccer team<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But there was only a lone writer, who wrote about the seemingly irrelevant events<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Introspecting during a bus ride back home, dilemma between the obvious and the seemingly obvious<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Such things were Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s strength<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. <p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;">Who else but Stella put it better, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Of course, people have to read the things which are important to them<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But they will never ignore reading the things, which make them feel important<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">_____________________________________________________________________________________

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;"> <p class="MsoNormal">Matt would be coming over, so everything in the house needed to be in place<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Starting with the furniture<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. One by one, he replaced all the furniture to their allotted spots, with the exception of the little photo frame, which he tucked under his jacket<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Cleaning the stains was not the easiest of the jobs<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. He was pleased with the floors and walls, after having scrubbed them three times, but he still thought simply washing the dirty bedsheets and sofa<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- covers could still give away the slightest suspicion, so he altogether replaced them<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Hiding the bottles was the next big task<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. As it is, people had concluded depression had turned Jeff into a drug<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- addict, so the bottles that lay scattered over the entire house needed to be concealed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Nine, ten, eleven<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">…. he had collected as many as 15 bottles in the living room itself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So, it had been for at<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- least a fortnight that he had been committed to his ritual<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. <p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;">The entire process took him over four hours, before he finally winded up with supper, and settled down on his couch<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was 9 PM<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Back in the good old days, this would be the time, when he would be joined by Stella, as they<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ d watch reruns of <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">‘ Friends<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ on TV, before eventually, they<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ d wake up next day on the couch<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. For a brief moment, he thought if watching a rerun would actually turn the fake smile he had on his lips to real<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But then, his mom<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s words came agonizingly back rushing to him; <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Let Go<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”. Sighing, he decided for an early light out, and went to sleep<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">_____________________________________________________________________________________

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;"> <p class="MsoNormal">Jeff was having the best sleep he had had in days, when the alarm clock blared up<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He woke, rubbing his eyes<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Again, he cursed himself for having forgotten to reset the alarm<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was exactly 2<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">: 55 at night<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He had exactly 3 minutes to make his mind, and 2 more, if he decided to obey himself, or rather, disobey himself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">He took out the photo frame from his jacket<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Him and Stella, grinning mindlessly at the Silverstone<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Outside, he could hear noises from his neighbor Joey<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s flat<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Animated noises, the noises he and Stella had made back in their hotel room in Paris<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The hotel, where they spent their honeymoon<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">The empty bedside echoed the way Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s heart felt<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Time was running out, and he had to make a choice<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Maybe, maybe this time, things will be the way I want them to be<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, he thought<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Deftly, he lifted the mattress off his bed to reveal the many vials he possessed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. It was so easy to confuse one of them for a vodka bottle, but, careful inspection revealed a series of small needles at the bottle<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s neck<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He thrust the bottle<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s neck down his forearm<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Blood started to rapidly gash out<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Collecting some blood in the vial, he poured the contents over the photo frame that lay on his bed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. As he did so, eyes closed, all the while he whispered, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">“ Arise, Stella<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">! Arise<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal">When he opened his eyes, his beautiful wife had already taken a seat on the windowsill<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Damn, it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s been so long since we<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve last met, isn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t it?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, she exclaimed, her voice beaming with the happiness of a father<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s adorable child<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ I was just, dying, to meet you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Oops, that was a bad pun, wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ t it?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal">He smiled, whether it was fake or real, he had no answer<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Stella had worn the same dress as she wore every night<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. A dress Jeff himself had gifted her<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Ironically, back in her day, it was Stella who had pointed out that the raven black plumes on the dress looked a bit<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">… ‘ disturbing<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ That<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s called badass<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, he had replied back then with a grin on his face<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Now, as his beloved wife made her way up to the bed, smiling menacingly at her husband, he questioned himself, what had made him fall in love with a dress of that kind<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got so much to tell you, honey<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” Jeff said, clutching his wife tight<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.” There<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s so much that<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s happened in a single day<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Remember I told you about the write<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- up I planned to submit? Well, unfortunately, its<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- “

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Honestly, Jeff, I want to hear no fuss about your shitty place of work<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Especially if there<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s anything unfortunate<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Coz all I want to do with you is, love you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, Stella said, as she proceeded to lick her beloved<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ It<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s nothing, just that Darren thought my choice of topic was a bit too badass<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”. Jeff mumbled, unsure if the person who lay above her even heard him<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Back when everything was normal, it was Jeff who tried to waste no time in talking, get straight to business<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Stella, on the other hand, wanted to know every little thing about his work, and office<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Don<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you think it is your place of worship?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, she used to say<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"> Of course, not much of a change <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. ‘ Place of Worship <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ had just gone to become shitty <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. ‘ Disturbing <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ dress <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin"> had become favorite<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ So, is that fat ass Darren holding you back now?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Stella smiled flirtatiously as she pulled her husband<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s collar<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff smiled, as the scent of his beloved<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s perfume swayed away all his other thoughts<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ That sucker can<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t, can he?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, he said, as he undid the buttons of his shirt<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">They indulged, till they lost track of time<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Jeff was having the time of his life<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. His wife was back, having become more lovable than ever<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Of course, he was elated<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. To hell with all those who thought he was depressed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. That fucker Darren? First, he turned down Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s write<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- up, and to show how much he sympathized, called Matt up? Fucked up<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ There<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s more<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, Jeff finally spoke<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Darren has phoned Matt, and he<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll be coming tomorrow morning<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. I think we<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ ll both be heading back to Virginia for a few days<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">…”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Does that mean we won<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t be getting each other?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”, asked Stella, rising from her husband<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s body<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Yes, I guess so<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, said Jeff, rising to a comfortable position<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ So, guess it will be long before we meet again, so come on, let<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s make most of our time<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Stella was holding the vial in her hands now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Ask that shit Matt to get his ass back to where he came from<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal">There was an authority in her voice which Jeff wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t sure he liked<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Love, trust me, there<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s no way I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m asking for any of this to stop<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But, you know, it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s been really long since me and Matt last met, so I think catching up with him would be sweet<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- “

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Aren<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you fucking getting any of this?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, she shouted, rising from the bed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. “ Darren, Matt, they<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ re all diversions<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Even these fucked up write<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- ups you write<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. All you need is me, and they<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ re just getting in your way<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”. She walked up to him, holding his phone in her hands<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. “ Please<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. You know how much you need me<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Ask Matt not to come<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff took the phone, unsure whether he should heed his wife<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s words<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Luckily, that dilemma was soon solved, as his screen flashed up with Matt<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s call<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Sup mate, how are you?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, spoke Matt on the other end of the line<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m good buddy<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. So, how<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s it going?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Ah buddy, everything<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s fine here<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But what<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s up with your voice? You sound really shaken<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff didn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ t know what to say<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Say what, must be a bit tired, I guess<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Anyways, Matt, I was actually about to call you up, but then<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- “

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ The fuck, Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">!” Matt was exclaiming now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Your voice sounds really bad<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Are you drunk?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ No, I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m sober<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Jeff said<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ There<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s no way you can be sober with that voice<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Switch on the camera, and show me where you are<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Honestly Matt, it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s 5 in the night, can<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t we do this<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- “

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">!”

<p class="MsoNormal">There really wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t much point in declining Matt, so he obeyed, and shifted the cam to his bed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Holy fuck, Jeff, what the hell have you been doing?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">There really wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t a way Jeff could defend himself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Stella had rummaged through the mattress, and all the vials were lay on his bed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And in the midst of all, was Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s Stella, taking sips from the vials<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Dude, listen, I can assure it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s nothing like you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ re thinking<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, Jeff tried to explain<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ These aren<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t vodka bottles<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- “

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Fuck it, Jeff, lying won<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t do you any good now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Show me your face<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">Reluctantly, Jeff turned on the selfie cam<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Holy balls, Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. What the fuck have you been doing? A hellish alcohol and drug overdose<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">! Just look at yourself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ It<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s not at all like that, Matt<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Just that Stella dropped in, so we were having some fun<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Stella?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Matt<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s voice quivered with panic<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” Jeff, your wife Stella died of lung cancer a month ago<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. How the fuck can she be with you?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m telling you, I summoned her back, doing some voodoo<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Can<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ t you see her lying on the bed?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, he said, turning the cam to the bed, where Stella sat, smiling<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Jeff, all I can see is vodka bottles, and a pathetically maintained man<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m starting for your house, and don<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you fucking think of leaving the house<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”. He hung up<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff placed the phone on the counter behind the mirror, and took a good look at himself<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. From what he could judge, he had lost at least 20 pounds from what he looked like in the morning<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The skin around his arms was a maze of bruises and scars<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. His eyes were sunken deep into his sockets<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">With a heavy heart, he marched back to his bed<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He had thought he was good enough for the succubus his Stella had become, but yet again, he was wrong<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ So, Matt told you how bad you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ re looking?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">” Stella asked<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff could only nod<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Sometimes, I really think if our decision was a mistake<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Maybe I should<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve imposed the required treatment on you, rather than believing in that hocus you told me<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Trust me, Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. However hard you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ d have tried, I wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t going to undergo chemotherapy<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. I was always too proud of my beauty, and there wasn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t a way I could let cancer snatch it away from me<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Besides, with something as deadly as stage 2 cancer, the odds were stacked really bad against us<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff climbed the bed, to face his better half<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ But what option did we chose? Turning you into a succubus?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">Stella smiled at her husband<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Even before her death, she loved the desperation in Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s voice, which made her feel so dominating<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Jeff, if you think about it, the option we chose was a much bigger gamble than cancer treatment<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. We literally gave into a bunch of hocus, merely hoping it would work<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And fortunately, it did<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s no miracle that it worked<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It worked, because you loved me, right from the bottom of your heart<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was your wild love for me, which made a god<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- fearing person like you, a true believer of the evil<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Each drop of blood you shed, you did so, hoping I would come back to love you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And look what you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Certainly, I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ve got what I wanted<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. My sweet, adorable wife, having turned into a noxious, sex<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- worshiping bitch<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” For some reason, there was no fear in Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s voice, even as he spoke these words to a succubus<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Back when she was alive, she<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ d have been on Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s case for being referred to in such a vile language<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. But the transition had made her strong, both physically, mentally<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. She smiled as she replied, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">“ Call me whatever you want to<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I know, how hard it is for you, to compete with a demon like me<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But get this thing clear, Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">: the power I have, I could have easily slain you, and getting all the blood, I wanted to have<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But I let you live<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I gave my love to you, expecting you to return the love<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. But let me tell you, it never is going to be easy<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. You might try your entire life, but never make the kind of love I need<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. In your attempts, you might even perish,<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff smiled as he asked, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ What if I do perish?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Then so will I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, replied Stella, as<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- a<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- matter<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- of<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- factly<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ The entity requires its believer<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s faith for its survival<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. I might be capable of draining all your strengths physically, but, once you stop believing in me, I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll perish<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Stella<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s monologue was interjected by the sound of the alarm clock<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It was 6 in the morning<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Matt would be at Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s house anytime, sooner than later<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Minutes passed, before Jeff finally spoke,<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Then take me with you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Make me one of your kind, so that I can give you all the love you expect<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Let us both unite ourselves to the evil, for once and for all<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. Fuck this entity and believer thing<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Let us be one, forever<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” He paused, catching his breath, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ You can make me a succubus like you, can<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">Stella burst out laughing, and even Jeff could smile on this one<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Certainly, I can do all the things you just said<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. It<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s incubus for the males, by the way<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. But are you sure? I mean, you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll be leaving behind your job, your friends, and god knows what<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- not<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff smiled, as he hugged his wife tight, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Didn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t you hear me? If there<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s anything that<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s restricting our love, then it be begone<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. All I want now, is you<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Forever<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Stella smiled, as she lifted the vial above her head, <span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Okay now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll smash this vial over, you know, your fly, and taste the blood oozing out<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Yum<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, said Jeff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Yeah, I know<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Real gross stuff<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Stella smiled<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ By the way, I figured you got a bit offended since I didn<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t bother then, but now, I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll finally ask<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">: what was the thing you wrote about?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”

<p class="MsoNormal">Jeff smiled, as he realized how his life was going to be just the way he wanted<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. “ Satanism, and relevance of pagan rituals in life<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”. <p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;">Jeff screamed, as the glass vial smashed his crotch.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;">_____________________________________________________________________________________

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border-width:initial;border-style:none;padding:0cm;"><span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">“ Wasn<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">’ t this one fucked man?<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">” Inspector Mitchell was telling his cadet, as Matt made his way into the flat<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Your friend committed suicide<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">”. Matt was told<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I know<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Matt replied as<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- a<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- matter<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- of<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">- factly<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Things weren<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ t really looking good with him<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ I am sorry to say, Mr<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Raimonds, but your friend was one big addict<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. We<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ ve recovered as many as 21 vodka bottles<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. I<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ m pretty sure if we<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ ll even come up with some pills<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Damn, how did the man kill himself?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">” A cadet was saying<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” I mean, smashed a bottle over his fly? That<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s rather brutal<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. And the strangest thing? There<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s no bleeding? Weird, I must say<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.”

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ You know, it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s a good thing he<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s gone now<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” Matt said<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ Was becoming rather creepy<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">. His publisher told, he was writing things on voodoo and occult<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Even while talking to me, he mentioned he had met with his dead wife<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">“ Whatever, it<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family: "Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">’ s really a shame that such an entertaining writer, had such a dark side to him<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.” Mitchell spoke, as he and his cadets made their way out of the flat<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Matt checked the bed where the corpse had been found<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Lying on the bed, was a photograph<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. He picked it up<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. The picture of the couple on Silverstone<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Something was covering their face<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. A raven feather<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Damn, it looked exactly like the ones on the dress Stella was buried in<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. “ She really liked me complementing her on this dress<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">”, Jeff had told<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Stella<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">’ s dress<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height: 107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin"> “ Found something of relevance, Mr<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">. Raimonds?<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">” Mitchell asked, eyeing the plume<span lang="BN" style="mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:107%; font-family:"Vrinda",sans-serif;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin">.

<p class="MsoNormal">Matt looked over to the smiling face of his asleep friend<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. “ Not much, really<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. Just something I carry with me<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">. Said to bring good luck<span lang="BN" style="line-height:107%;font-family:Vrinda,sans-serif;">”.

<p class="MsoNormal"> <ac_metadata title="In the Name of Love"> </ac_metadata>