But by the time we get into the second trip things start to look a lot better, since with them we'll have seven, count 'em, seven summer rafters comin... on board, maybe eight. Assuming we don't get a lot in the way of surprises, that ought to be pretty close to doing it. We'll also have at least four summer swampers in their second year. Duane and Mike will only be gone one trip and should be solid in the future, and Kevin tells me he's going to try to finish up his last three semesters all in. You have a great mind over matter ability in both yourself and others. You’ll discover these with time. Finally, you must feed on blood. You may be able to go a few days without, but after too long you grow weak and wither. You won’t die from it but believe me it’s a fate worse than death. You would live in perpetual pain until you feed again. Now that’s all I have to tell you and it is time I leave.” she said.“Wait, you can’t leave me. I have no idea what to do with myself. You owe me more. It was truly as if they’d never existed. The place held no sense of love whatsoever and its only nature was that of drab, stench and clutter, seemed worse than ever.When it was time to get milking I walked to the parlor and looked in. All was quiet and no one around. I assumed I’d better get going on sorting out the heifers but most of those were now in another holding pen for observation while their dehorning wounds healed a bit.I walked back into the milking parlor realizing I really was all. Or she might have been burnt or otherwise disfigured. Instead, I found a figure sitting on the hospital bed in sparsely furnished room - waving her legs and looking bored. I knew that look already. She was utterly bored. I gasped loudly."Lil! I was so scared, so afraid ... I love you so much!"Before anything more was said I was there next to her, hugging her carefully."Ryan ... is that you? How can you be here? What's happened?"I pulled away and looked at her. I could not see anything wrong.