"Oh my," she whispered, "John is that you?"I looked at Amy. Taking a breath I replied. "I'm Katie when I'm dressedas a girl Amy." I paused. "John... J...hn is someone else."Amy smiled. "You look amazing Jo... Katie," she grinned. "You look sofeminine, so graceful, and beautiful in fact," she paused. "Let me get toknow Katie. I think she could do with a friend. What do you say?"I looked at Amy. A girl I admit I had a slight crush for. And she wantedto get to know me as Katie. Inwardly I was. The furniture was scarce and old, a single bed wasagainst one wall, with peeling pink flowered wallpaper and damp patches on theceiling, a three legged bedside table sat beside the bed, being supported by apile of books, an overstuffed armchair in one corner and a worn out coffeetable, which had definitely seen better days, was dead centre in the room. She stood there, in the middle of the room, feeling out ofplace and not knowing quite what to do with herself; shyness had overtaken herand her. ..I mean, it's traditional. Like TP'ing houses andsoaping windows on Halloween. They'd be pissed if we didn't show up." Hewaited a second for Mark's expression, then added, "Besides, MaryCartland is in there."Sam was sweet on Linda Mason, and Mark had a crush on her best friend,pretty Mary Cartland. He never had the nerve to talk to her beyond aquick "Hi, Mary" in the hall at school, and sometimes he wanted to beten years old again so he could simply ride his bike with no hands byher house. . I found a small wooded area in a small park, and hid in the bushes, and I must have passed out.I woke up in the dark, with a horrible pain in what remained of my left hand. I looked at the bloody stump in horror. I knew it needed at the very least, bandaging, if not surgery, but I could not get help in the village. Dr Benson might have helped me, but he was surely being watched now.I remembered I still had the gloves I had earlier used to hide my hands. I used one as a rudimentary bandage. The.