20
Faithful Diary,
I have spent all night tossing and turning. I could not get comfortable in my bed, or indeed, inside my own skin. My body felt as though it could burst in an explosion of pent-up energy. I have called upon the services of my nocturnal seductress, but she has not come to visit. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had grown to her presence in my bed. In fact, I now realize that I rely on her more than I ever would have guessed.
After my lovely day with Malaika's family, I came home to a house that felt empty in a different way than usual. It was not just a matter of Terra and Elle being gone. The house also lacked some unknown quality or characteristic, an ominous buzz that customarily sits on the air. I felt it, like a blast of electricity, upon opening the door
