The letter perched precariously on the palm of her hand and as, reading, underst anding, she walked

slower and slower up the stairs, heavy feet growing unbearabl e to lift, tears growing harder to prevent from bursting forth, the world, the v aguely important world around her shrank back behind a mist of disbelief, a veil of incomprehension. Why? Up stairs, through into an ever darkening room and sinking ever so carefully int o a once comfortable chair, her mind groped blindly through the dark winding pas sages of the text on the ever so light, but ever so meaningful paper before her. Then, once finished, hoping maybe, oh hoping for what? She reread it, yes, it co uld not be true, she had not properly concentrated, missed a good fraction of th e words, but no, where was that dear over half she believed in, she had believed in? No, her mind was shattering, splinters were everywhere and with that, the f rail pane of glass that was keeping the torrent of emotion bound so tightly coil ed within, leapt out. The liquid seethed and spat like hot oil and for once, she became unrecognizable even to herself, for he was gone. Gone!