She felt really sick.

She knew she shouldn't have, she hadn't drank anything weird, she'd always kept an eye on her cup, she didn't even have any alcohol, even Honora hadn't been drinking alcohol.

She clambered upstairs and went into a bedroom, with its door wide open, shut it after her. The bed was made like it was in a furniture store or something.

Didn't Honora say it was abandoned? Why were all the utilities on, then?

God, her head really hurt.

She fell down on the musty comforter and tried to concentrate on making the pain go away, but it just got worse, like it was tormenting her.

She heard a puking sound.

The room had a little bathroom attached to it.

" Hello...?" she called out but it was hard and her voice felt hoarse. She didn't have the strength to sit up off the bed. Black spots were dancing in her vision.

Why? Why? Why?

She wished Klaude was there. He had said he needed to get something right when they had arrived and then wandered off. Talking with Honora and Rose and their friends was nice but she had wanted...

" Fuck..."

He was slipping out of the bathroom with a half-empty bottle, wiping his mouth on his jacket sleeve.

He stumbled over to the bed and fell next to her.

" I feel like shit. I feel awwwwful, Vida. I said I wouldny drink 'n now I'm fuckin' snockered."

She propped herself up on her arms and unsteadily looked over at him, vision swimming. It made his hair look like the choppy surface of a lake.

" Klaude...? Why were you up here...?" she asked, rasp in her voice.

He laughed, dryly.

" Gotta puke somewhere."

Her mind wasn't quite following his words, but she tried her best.

Suddenly he sat up, and looked her in the eye.

" Vida, you're such a lucky person. You... You really a...e. You have... So many wonder... things going on.... I was alw.... always jealous of how you ... yourself. You... g... yourself so in line... All I c.... was stand .... try to help. But I'm .... a dark rain...ud. I j.... wei ....u down. I... ....ly... the t...h was... .... time, I .... closer ....ou. I wanted to be closer to you."

Her vision was fading out, and his voice felt like static from far away. She wanted to reach out to him, grab him, tell him that she wanted to be closer to him, but her arm felt like it was weighed down by heavy, thick tar. Don't go. Don't leave me.

For one moment, like a shining snapshot before she was dragged out of the river, she saw him as clear as day. He brushed a piece of her hair out of her face with shaky fingers and there was something rolling down his cheeks.

" I really do love you, Vi."