I thought he had some standards. And I can't believe they'd do this to the rest of us, especially Dad. Maybe I just haven't processed it all, ya know? But --" Morgan paused, and it was the first time that Madison had ever seen the girl at a loss for words. Of course, their relationship only went back about twelve hours.

"What is it?"

"I'm glad you're here because now I can stop feeling so bad."

"About what? You didn't know what they —-"

"No, not that. And not even how hard you must have had it well, maybe a little. I felt bad because I hated you all those years and now I don't have to."

Madison was stunned.

"Hated me? But I was dead, at least as far as you knew?"

"I know. Pathetic, huh?" Morgan knew that Madison wasn't looking right now because she was talking, so she reached out and gently took her sister's hand.

“Every year, Dad kinda beat himself up over not being there when you were born. I know that once he found out you were alive . . . he's been kicking himself all week. Like if he'd been there, Mom never would've been able to do what she did.

Before, he thought his being there might have ‘saved your life' or somethin'."

“But why did you hate me?"(]

“Because I was selfish. Because I couldn't give my Dad that one day every year to mourn you. Because I wanted him to think as much about the kids he had as the one he'd lost."

Madison felt chilled.

"I fucked up your family, and I wasn't even here."

"It's YOUR family too," Morgan said.

“And I didn't mean it like that.

I was just jealous, and it was petty. It wasn't like he really neglected us. He just got kinda spacey. I hated that. Dad is a good guy, Madison. He's always tried his best, even when Alvin was a complete prick and didn't deserve help. And yeah, I hope that Alvin comes around and I don't like that Mom and Dad are splitting, but I really wish Mom hadn't given away my sister. That's like that's like adultery, but ten bazillion times worse. If she wants to make it right, she's got a long way to go."

“Considering she wanted to strangle me at the test results and then I punched her a couple of times, I wouldn't hold my breath.”

"Yeah, but still," Morgan said, standing up and kissing Madison's forehead, “a kinda fucked-up family is still family, right?"

Once Morgan left, Madison just sat on the bed. Then she started to cry. After a minute, she heard the door open again, then felt strong arms around her. She did not even need to check who it was, because Heda's arms were familiar to her now. She did not even know why she was crying this time. She did not know if she was happy or sad, but she did know that she wanted to be held.

It was disappointed in this one. The Messenger had not had the stamina of the others, expiring after just a few days. It sat perched on top of the pyramid, weights pulling down from Its ankles and waist. Its wrists were still tied behind Its back, and its neck had a chained collar that was attached to the ceiling. It had screamed a great deal at first, then cried. It had tried to Change, but the Cold had prevented that. It had chilled the blood, making It keep Its human face.

When It had stopped crying and stopped begging, the Cold knew that.

It had passed on. This time, the Message would not be voiced. This time, the Message would be conveyed in a medium. Underneath Its skin, this thing was a reptile. This time, the Message would be written in the skin.

Madison was kicking back in the booth after putting on a Long block.