Disclaimer: I don't own the series or the characters. They are all the creations of the wonderful Mr. Scott Westerfield. I hope you enjoy and please read and review!

When the silent hour came again, Melissa could feel him. He was always there, a solitary mind flaring on the distant horizon. Towards the desert she could also feel another mind, but the thoughts were obscured by the dark things and a mass of numbers. The boy seemed much more in reach, his emotions clear. So lonely, so curious. For years she had tasted his ventures into the silent hour, his thoughts of being the only one. Tonight was the night his solitude would be relieved, she was coming.

The eerie calm warmth of the blue time was soothing to Melissa's bare feet as she stepped outside in her favorite cowgirl pajamas. She hesitated for a moment, he was so far and if she didn't make it home before the silent time was over, her mama would worry. But Melissa started to run, she had committed to finding him and saving him and nothing would stop her. Her rhythmic gait helped focus her mind off of the consequences and soon she was running without a fear towards the distant mind. Left, right, left right, left, right. That was all that pounded through Melissa's usually overcrowded mind as she made her way through the deserted streets of Bixby. She didn't realize how long or far she'd run until she turned into a completely unfamiliar section of town and the boy's mind grew stronger. Now she could make out his name. Rex.

"Rex!" she called as his mind grew progressively louder, "Rex!" She continued to call out as she approached him, then she finally turned onto the right street. Standing in the middle of the deserted street was him. He was about the same age as her, eight or nine, and was taller and lanky. When he turned to look at her, Melissa was met by a pale face shrouded by a mop of dark hair and thick framed glasses.

"Who are you?" he asked, "why are you here?"

"I'm Melissa," she smiled, "and I'm here for the same reason as you." Rex smiled back at her, then unexpectedly reached out to embrace her. Before Melissa could stop him, their hands touched and it happened. Images of pain, loneliness, and spiders flowed into her. The memories of standing in the bathtub naked while dozens of spiders crawled across his bare flesh. In the background a gruff voice could be heard, "be a man Rex! Don't be a weak book-reader! The spiders won't hurt you!" But Melissa could feel it, the spiders had hurt him, they'd drawn him into a shell of insecurities and fear of his own father. It was horrible.

Finally she released herself from his grasp, "I'm so sorry," she was almost crying, guessing that all of her awful memories were now his, "I-I can't make it stop."

"Melissa," he said in a calm voice she would later depend on, "It's ok, I understand it. I've read about people like you and I can help you through this. Friends?" He held out a shaking hand shrouded in his sweatshirt's sleeve. Melissa returned the offer with her own covered hand.

"Friends," she smiled.