" Fine," she grinned. "Hard. Sophie and Warren are dead, I've decided." Why?" Crash laughed."The program they set for me is a ballbuster," she giggled... "It's so hard, when you incorporate the technical elements into it, too. I get done with it and I feel like I've spent a day with the Thighmaster." Well, they're ice dancers, they forget about all them pesky jumps." Yeah," she laughed. Crash had finished his preparations, and popped the pan of galumpki into the oven. He rinsed off his hands, and. You're not having another party, are you?” She giggled and said, “No, dear boy, that was just a lucky coincidence for all involved. I'll be alone doing some catching up on my books, I've let them slip a bit and things are a little tight right now, but don't worry about me paying you. I'm expecting some good cash soon.” “Okay, lunch sounds fine, Hazel, but let me bring it to make up for that feast you put on the last time.” She laughed again and coyly asked, “Are you talking about the food or. ” I couldn’t believe my ears. So far, in all our games, Em had never brought others into the mix, but more so, she had never before left me alone. “Em?” I asked in disbelief. Em let go of me and stepped behind me, whispering into my ear, “You know the rules.” She gave my back a soft push and stepped down from the porch. My heartbeat sped up with every creaking of the steps. A shudder raced through my body. Goosebumps prickled on the back of my neck. The woman -- Camille… no, Caroline, yes, that. ”The abruptness in my voice told everyone that I wasn’t in a good mood. Sygor hesitated. His sister had been about to hand him a plate of food. The fact that I had risen and had stepped away from the fire, told Sygor that the food could wait; but he actually hesitated in moving. It caused the air around the fire pit to grow still. Eventually, he got up and followed me away from the fire. We walked away from the fire and into the woods. I took my carbine with me just in case. Sygor picked up his.