“Kai,” I say. “We've been through so much together. I want to go through it all with you.”Her eyes widen a little, but she's been expecting th...s.“Babe,” she says, “how are we going to – ”I cut her off. “Don't worry. I've got this.”We kiss. She says yes. In the locker room, I look at the Hannya mask as I strip down to nothing and get ready to don my fighting gear. The Women's Masquerade arena is filled to the brim, and my nerves are vibrating in my chest. A little while ago, I peeked through the. She remained on her splayed knees after both guys had moved off, with her head resting on her forearms, breathing deeply.“What now?” Sue enquired. “Are you ready to go again or do you want a rest?”“I'm good to go,” Sylvie affirmed. “But if you will bring me a cold beer, I'll murder it. Then I'll get airtight.”Sue fetched her one, then resumed her seat. Sylvie sat back on her heels, upended the bottle and chugged the whole thing in one long swallow. I wasn't sure whether she was that thirsty or. As one population quietly slid into the eternal night it made room for more fit organisms to spread and conquer. Life was flexible, but it was not infinitely so. The world turned and changed, the star that had been the lifeline for every organism aged. It was a long fight, played across the eons with none of the participants able to fully comprehend its sweep and stakes, but it was a futile one. The bacteria’s parent cell had been one of the few things left on Earth which ‘tried’ – to use the. But upon flashlight examination it appeared to be a small Dollerama water bottle on a string, filled with hard cider. In less than five minutes, everyone had cider and flashlights were spontaneously lighting up like mating fireflies all over the room. I noticed St. Regis seemed a little confused by what she saw. Suddenly substantial tape hiss entered my ears. Immediately after, I heard Chris Isaak’s signature guitar lick reverberate from the loud speakers. As always, I choked up and began.