5
Jerome pressed his body tight against the back of the sofa. He put one of the shoes on the floor next to him and held the other shoe in his right hand, his stronger hand, ready to strike the creature if he was forced to defend himself.
Wren tried to make contact again.
“Hello, I’m Wren. I don’t want to hurt you. Please don’t be afraid.”
Jerome turned so that his back was leaning against the back of the sofa.
“Go away, whatever you are.”
“I’m a girl, a woman actually. And I just want to be your friend.”
“No, you’re not.”
“I am. Honestly. I’m from outside.”
There’s no such thing as a woman, not outside anyway. There’s nothing outside. Just cockroaches. Are you a cockroach?”
Wren wondered if this scared but quite handsome man knew what a cockroach was.
“Do I look like a cockroach
