Gloom hung over me the next day at school. Talia bumped into me towards the end of lunch and took me aside, clearly mortified for what had happened be...ween us. She was on the verge of tears as she whispered, “I’m so sorry about last night.” I put a comforting hand on her shoulder and assured her that I understood completely. “It was just a party thing,” I muttered, “Don’t worry about it.” She nodded and hugged me close, her words spilling out with machine gun speed: “I’m so sorry I fell. " But if I can, Charles, then it must be at least possible that someone else can. Mom always taught me that I should never assume things - she says, assume makes an ASS out of U and ME."Charles got to his feet and began to pace up and down."This is very serious, Sean. You are already doing things in and out of dreamtime that shouldn't be possible. The natural order of things is being disturbed and now you are making me doubt my own understanding of lore that is centuries old."As far as I was. “That knife was not of this world.”“Yeah, well it belongs to the Mandragora now.” Mike sat down, leaning against the wall. His whole body hurt now, his muscles cramping. “Is Naia okay?”“Yes. She knew you were still alive, so she wasn’t too worried.” Cecilia stood. “I must report back to the others that you are safe.”“I don’t want you to go.”Cecilia smiled. “I shall return, a runsearc.” She blew him a kiss and faded from sight.Sitting in the darkness, Mike waited. There was nothing else to do. Patti, not interested in the whys, but only in satisfying her own sexual curiosity, played with the snap on her mother's jeans. She opened it, slid the zipper down and pushed the jeans off her mother's hips. Her head in the clouds, all she could think about was doing the same thing to her mother that Blazer had done. She sighed and slumped against her mother."Relax, honey," her mother soothed, stroking her child's smooth back. She held Patti, felt her tremble. Her own body was in a raging.