27

EXACTLY 11:33 IN THE MORNING,
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21ST

“Ginny, did you use all the milk?” says Crystal with a C.

From the living room I hear the refrigerator shut. The milk is still in my backpack. I forgot to take it out when we got back to the Little White House.

Crystal with a C walks into the living room. I am sitting on the couch looking at the fire. “Look,” she says, “I don’t want to leave you by yourself. Shit. I mean, I really don’t want to leave you by yourself, but we need milk for the batter I’m going to make. And I know you like to drink milk in the morning. So I have to run to the store. It’s right down the road. If you get hungry, make yourself a snack. A small snack, okay? Don’t go eating all the cheese and ketchup again.”

I nod my head yes.

“I’ll only be gone for twenty minutes,” she says. “And, Ginny, stay in the house, all right? Don’t go outside for any reason. Remember what we said before—your Baby Doll is safe, and if you try to go back to Harrington Falls, the police will find you.”

She looks at me. I keep looking at the woodstove because she didn’t ask a question.

“Ginny, did you hear me?”

I nod my head yes.

“I do wish you’d be a little more...talkative,” she says.

When she leaves I stand up. I am going to make myself a snack.