[She stops, lets herself be frozen by the aching desperation in his voice. This all feels wrong, in a different way than the rest - it's real but it's not, it's an echo, a farce, an effigy - ]
Philip - [Her voice is quiet, strained, battered.] It's not real. [It's hard, to reach out with her mind - it aches like a muscle run ragged - but maybe she can break the trance, break the spell.] She's not -
Redd!
[Her head whips around, and she sees a boy - barely a teenager, she thinks - reaching for her with that same desperation.]
What's happening to you? You and Slym are leavin', aintcha? DON'T!
[She feels herself turning from Philip, from her responsibilities, and she doesn't know why; she doesn't know where the ache in her chest is coming from, why tears burn her eyes as she holds out her arms.]
Oh, sweetie - we don't want to, but we can't stop it! Oh, baby - let me hold you one last time -
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Philip - [Her voice is quiet, strained, battered.] It's not real. [It's hard, to reach out with her mind - it aches like a muscle run ragged - but maybe she can break the trance, break the spell.] She's not -
Redd!
[Her head whips around, and she sees a boy - barely a teenager, she thinks - reaching for her with that same desperation.]
What's happening to you? You and Slym are leavin', aintcha? DON'T!
[She feels herself turning from Philip, from her responsibilities, and she doesn't know why; she doesn't know where the ache in her chest is coming from, why tears burn her eyes as she holds out her arms.]
Oh, sweetie - we don't want to, but we can't stop it! Oh, baby - let me hold you one last time -