My throat tightens. Tears prick the backs of my eyes at the thought of him gently taking Rufus's leash from my hand and jogging the hyperactive menace down the road and back a few times to tire him out. Then they'd saunter back to us, panting, Rufus with his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Samuil would smirk at me, one eye squinting against the sunrise like the fact he's heading my way isn't a miracle.
But this isn't another life.
There aren't any miracles here.
There's no one else here, either. It's just me.
The image scatters like sunlight in the mist. Vicious reality is there when it's gone. The dew clinging to the grass soaks into my bandages and the rubber grip on my crutch slips against the slick ground with every step.
I bite the inside of my lip until I taste blood, trying no
