11.

Shortly thereafter, Matthew and Jacob caught the hint and took a short walk along the deck. Those words she wrote keep racing across my eyelids, even after I clamp them tightly shut.

"I know you care for me…"

Hah! Who does she think she's kidding? Elizabeth has never been more than a mere curiosity, and my interest in her "condition" is merely an extension of the interest I take in all unknowns. I am a scientist, after all, and what I desire most is truth.

Solitude. Hmmph. You can have your blasted solitude, and I'll savor this new freedom.