After that first time in the light tower, I went back to my room and fell asleep quickly, heavily. When I woke, I did not remember what happened for a moment. It wasn’t until I swung my legs off the bed that I felt the sensation between my legs, not quite a pain but a warmth and the kind of tightness I felt when I’d done a lot of walking. Oh, I thought, then I remembered. I reached around and felt the spot on my back where my skin had been scraped by the wood beneath me.
I didn’t see Carl that day. That night, I went to the light tower and he was there, writing in the logbook. I stood and waited. When he looked up, Carl seemed to wince slightly, as though the sight of me caused him some discomfort, and then he smiled, a small, sad smile.
“Good evening,” I said.
“Marie.”
“Yes?”
“That
