He nodded, one long, slow motion of his head that served more to let him divert his eyes back to his knees than as any sort of agreement.

//Within seconds,// he murmured. //It went from me and Gayle,// his voice sounded fairly thin at that name, //to me beggin' her t'get away, knowin' somethin' was wrong. She didn't. From there, all I remember is fire and begging anything in the universe that'd listen to make th'pain go away. When I woke up again, there wasn't anything left to feel.//