It was bright when Beau opened his eyes. The morning sun was strong, even inside the tent. The clammy feeling on his skin confirmed the temperature was rising.
Beau suspected it was just a taste of the chaos to come.
He sat up and stretched. Beau expected to see Edward curled up at his side, but he wasn't.
There were few hiding places in a tent of this size. Beau found him sitting in the darkest corner.
Edward was fully dressed already, but that wasn't the most surprising part. He looked like he had been carved from stone. Tension rolled off him in waves.
His eyes were especially sharp. Flinty.
"Edward, what is it? What happened?"
"You have to ask?"
A lifetime of doubting himself made Beau automatically think he did something wrong. He tried to remember what he could have done to draw so much ire from Edward.
It didn't take long to figure out. Throbbing on one side of his neck brought it all back: both boys down to their boxers. The spellbinding sight of Edward pleasuring himself. The sound he made when he came, with Beau's name on his lips.
Beau touched the spot gingerly. It didn't hurt that much; if anything, it felt like a bruise.
He wasn't surprised to find a mirror inside the backpack. It would come in handy soon when he wanted to brush his teeth, but for now, he angled it toward his neck, trying to get a better look.
There was a fresh mark on his neck. It was roughly the size of a half dollar coin, but with jagged edges. The skin there was a red, almost purple color.
"I'm so sorry, Beau. I knew better than this. I knew I shouldn't have . . . I am more sorry than I can tell you."
"Edward, come on. It's a hickey."
A flash of light temporarily blinded him.
When his vision cleared, he realized Edward had ripped open the entrance to the tent and stalked off, leaving him in the dust.
Beau grabbed his clothes and wrestled into them. His t-shirt was likely backwards, but he didn't care. He had to find Edward.
Beau stumbled out of the tent and glanced around frantically. His heart was in his throat.
But his panic was unnecessary. Beau found him standing at the edge of their campsite. Edward was staring off into the woods with his arms folded.
Edward was angry. At him, at himself, or both, Beau didn't know.
"What just happened in there?"
"You constantly fail to recognize the danger you're in. You make light of it. I hurt you."
"You're wrong. I'm fi—"
"Do not say the word fine." His voice was ice cold. "If you value my sanity, do not say that you are fine."
"But I am!"
Edward leaned his back against the sheltering face of the mountain and fell silent.
Beau realized this situation called for drastic measures.
He got as close to Edward as possible, one hand pressed to the stone behind his head. He took it as a good sign that Edward didn't chide him or move away. He merely stared at Beau with misery in his eyes.
Only a vampire could detect how low Beau's voice had become. "I would do the same to you, if I could."
"Beau—"
"You didn't hurt me last night. Don't ruin this for us. I'm happy. You should be, too."
"I've already ruined this," Edward whispered.
Beau put the other hand flat against the stone. His arms were no match for a vampire's strength, but he had to get through to him somehow. Edward's expression didn't change, but another part of his body betrayed how he felt. That was another good sign.
"You're always talking about human experiences," Beau said gently. "Now I can check this one off the list, thanks to you."
"Almost dying? You've done that a few times too many."
"A love bite," Beau corrected him. "Without the bite."
"Thank God."
"Hmm . . . " Beau mused. "It seems I'm going to have to tamper with your memory."
That seemed to finally break the ice. Edward's eyes widened at the words, no doubt recalling the moment they shared in exacting detail.
Beau turned his head, allowing his beard to nuzzle against Edward's cheek.
"What exactly are you worried about?"
"Hurting you," Edward breathed. With the two boys pressed so close together, it could have been Edward's heart thundering in his chest.
"But you couldn't." Beau dropped a kiss to his jaw, then another. "More importantly, you didn't. Last night confirmed that you're strong enough."
He felt the shudder move through Edward's body. "Just . . . a . . . fluke."
"Hardly. I'm still here, aren't I?"
"Y-Yes."
"You told me so yourself, remember? About the time you thought you lost me . . . how it changed things."
"Yes," Edward repeated, his eyes locking with Beau's. "That's true."
Beau held himself aloft for a moment, enjoying the electric atmosphere he created between them. Then he took a few steps back to allow them both to take a breath. Edward stayed where he was, his back pressed against the rock.
A genuine smile lit up his face.
"Is this what it feels like to be dazzled?"
"A pale imitation, but . . . yeah."
Edward crossed the distance in no time at all, drawing Beau into a hug faster than the human eye could catch.
The chill of his breath made Beau shiver. "You're right, of course. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry, too," Beau told him. "I don't mean to make light of it . . . I think it's just how I cope with stuff. I know it's risky. But look how far we've come already."
"I think what you're saying is that we need to . . . practice."
"I could watch you practice all day," Beau grinned.
"Careful, now. Jacob is on his way and I don't think he'll take too kindly to that."
Beau put one hand over the mark on his neck. "He probably won't take kindly to this, either."
"I think I'll make myself scarce when he's here."
"Good idea."
Beau went back into the tent in search of his toothbrush. Edward circled the campsite at a slow pace, his brows furrowed in concentration.
Freshened up and with his shirt facing the right direction, Beau leaned against the rock face. The two stood in silence and listened to the morning birdsong.
"How much longer?"
"Alice told Sam it should be an hour or so."
"We stay together. No matter what," Beau said, more to himself than to Edward.
"No matter what."
Beau heard the strain in his own voice. "I know. I'm terrified for them, too."
"They know how to handle themselves," Edward assured him. "I just hate missing the fun."
Beau sighed.
Edward looked like he was choosing his words carefully. "There is a bit of a complication. When Jacob gets here, I'm going to take Seth a little ways away and try to straighten it out."
Complication. It was a maddeningly vague word.
Beau decided they had bickered enough for one day and merely said, "Hurry back."
Edward leaned over to kiss Beau once more, then turned for the trees. Beau stared after him, fighting the urge to follow. The bond between them felt stronger than it ever had.
"Hey, Beau."
Jacob was approaching the campsite. He looked stoic and regal, the chief-in-waiting Beau knew he could be.
"Hey, Jake. How was your night with the bear?"
"Peachy," Jacob snorted. "And you? Has anyone made a Brokeback Mountain joke yet?"
"The honor is all yours."
"Nah, too easy."
The boys snickered. It was so close to the way they used to joke around that Beau felt his heart swell with happiness.
"Ready for the fight?"
"Sure, sure," Jacob nodded, bobbing up and down on the balls of his feet. "It'll be great to tear up some vamps."
"You amaze me."
Jacob copied Beau and leaned against the stone face.
Beau wondered if the pack shared Jacob's excitement over the incoming enemy.
He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to keep his cool. Anxiety would not make the battle go faster, especially for those on the sidelines.
"What the hell is that?"
Beau opened his eyes to find Jacob staring at the hickey. He clapped a hand down over it again, blushing.
"It's nothing."
"Did he bite you?"
"No," Beau said at once. "Trust me."
"How can I?" Jacob demanded. His whole body began to shake. "You're trying to circumvent the treaty, aren't you? When the pack isn't around to put a stop to it?"
"Of course not! Damn it, Jake. I'd be writhing around in agony if he had bitten me."
"Don't you see how insane you sound? You're completely dickmatized by him."
Beau wasn't sure what did him in. It may have been the stress of the battle or the thought of losing his best friend. Perhaps it was the mental image of a wedding band on his finger.
There was no way to tell the exact reason, but whatever it was, it made him laugh. And once he started laughing, he couldn't stop.
"It's not funny, Beau," Jacob growled. "Cut that out."
"I . . . can't," Beau gasped, clutching his stomach. "I'm d–d-dickmatized."
Jacob covered his face with his hand, but it didn't do him any good. Beau saw through tears of laughter that Jacob was also struggling to control himself.
It took several minutes for the two to calm down. Eventually it wasn't the word making them howl, it was the eye contact between best friends. Their laughter felt like it was never going to end, and Beau didn't want it to.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, Jacob exhaled.
"You're okay?"
"I am," Beau nodded. "I swear."
"Okay."
"Listen, Jake . . . "
"You don't have to do this, Beau," Jacob sighed. "I'm going to give in and try to be good."
"What do you mean?"
It took a few minutes for him to find the words.
"I thought about it last night, after we talked. I realized . . . I don't want to be an option, Beau. I want to be the first choice. I know I'm not yours—I never was. Maybe in another life, but not this one."
"I'm sorry, Jake," Beau whispered. "I love you. I wish that was enough."
"So do I."
The boys went quiet.
Pain slithered down Beau's spine when he realized this might be the last time he would see Jacob. He was due to return to the pack in mere moments to fight the vampire horde.
Jacob stood up straight, as though they shared the same thought. Beau swallowed back a lump in his throat.
"You'll be careful, won't you? Have I blown the entire day with this hickey?"
Jacob rolled his eyes. "No waterworks, please. I'll be okay."
Beau grabbed his arm and held tight. "You promise?"
"I promise."
The two hugged each other fiercely. Beau poured everything he had into that hug. Every mile of road, every joke they shared together. Every feeling and emotion.
All the love that had nowhere to go.
Beau wished he had half of Jacob's courage. It took a strong will to fight as hard as he did, especially knowing how the story would end.
The time had finally come.
Jacob released him and stepped away. There was a hint of his former sunniness on his face. The sight gave Beau hope on a day he desperately needed it.
"I'll be okay," his friend repeated in farewell.
Then he was gone.
Beau wiped his eyes. Jacob would be pissed about the waterworks, but he couldn't help it.
He was terrified their conversation would upend the entire house of cards. All that work and preparation would be for naught if one of the strongest fighters was distracted.
Beau retreated to the tent in despair.
There was no sound to warn him. Out of nowhere, he felt a cool hand on the nape of his neck.
It had a fleeting, calming effect before the nerves took over again.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm scared," Beau whispered.
"I know."
He turned over and found Edward leaning back on his elbows, listening to something Beau could not hear.
A howl outside the tent made him jump.
"That's just Seth."
Beau stared at the ceiling of their shelter. His nerves were shot.
"It's going to be fine, Beau. We've got skill, training, and surprise on our side. It will be over very soon. If I didn't truly believe that, I would be down there now. You'd be here, chained to a tree or something along those lines."
"Alice is so small."
"That might be a problem, if it were possible for someone to catch her."
Seth started to whimper. Beau could see his large, wolfish shadow pacing back and forth.
"What's wrong with him?"
"He's just angry that he's stuck here with us. He knows the pack kept him out of the action to protect him, but he's salivating to join them."
Beau peered out of the tent. Seth passed by the entrance, his body rippling with anticipation.
"The newborns have reached the end of the trail—it worked like a charm, Jasper's a genius—and they've got the scent of the ones in the meadow, so they're splitting into two groups now, just as Alice said they would. Sam's taking us around to head off the ambush party."
Edward was so intent on what he was hearing that he used the pack plural.
"The first group is in the clearing. We can hear them fighting."
Beau was puzzled when Edward laughed, who hastened to explain:
"We can hear Emmett. He's enjoying himself."
That figured. If they weren't born to be mortal enemies, Beau thought Jacob and Emmett would be as thick as thieves. Both of them had been looking forward to this moment for days.
"The second group is getting ready. They aren't paying attention—they haven't heard us yet."
Then Edward growled.
"What?"
"They're talking about you. They're supposed to make sure you don't escape . . . Nice move, Leah! Mmm, she's quite fast," Edward murmured in approval. "One of the newborns caught our scent, but Leah took him down before he could even turn. Sam's helping her finish him off. Paul and Jacob got another one, but the others are on the defensive now. They have no idea what to make of us. Both sides are feinting . . . no, let Sam lead. Stay out of the way. Separate them—don't let them protect each other's backs."
Seth whined.
"That's better, drive them toward the clearing."
Beau watched closely. Edward shifted around as he watched the fight unfold, tensing for moves he would have made. If Beau wasn't so nervous, he would have found this display interesting.
But then Edward went stock-still.
So quickly that Beau wasn't sure how it happened, he was on his feet as the tent collapsed around them.
Edward had ripped their way out of it. Why?
Edward and Seth were staring at each other. The sun shattered off Edward's skin and threw sparkles across Seth's fur.
And then Edward whispered urgently, "Go, Seth!"
The wolf wheeled around and disappeared into the forest.
Beau thought his heart was going to leap out of his chest. Something had definitely gone awry in the clearing. He was about to demand Edward take him there, but a rush of air stole the words from his throat.
He found himself with his back pressed against the sheer cliff face. Edward was already in a crouch, a posture Beau recognized as a defensive one.
At first Beau felt relief. Nothing had gone in the clearing. But then the dread took over, because that meant the real problem was here, and they were short a fighter.
Something was coming for them.
"Who?" Beau whispered.
The answer came through his teeth in a loud snarl. The noise was too loud, and that meant it was too late for him to do anything. The boys were trapped; it didn't matter who heard his answer.
"Victoria." Edward spat her name like a curse. "She's not alone. She crossed my scent while following the newborns in to watch. Victoria never meant to fight with them. She made a spur-of-the-moment decision to find me, guessing that we would be together. She was right, and so were you. It was always Victoria."
She was close enough that he could hear her thoughts.
Beau thought back to that day he found the flyer, when he made a break for La Push. That had been a snap decision, too.
Victoria was more cunning than any of them realized.
If it had been the Volturi, they'd both be dead already. But with Victoria, it didn't have to be both. Edward could survive this. He was a good fighter, as good as Jasper. If she didn't bring too many others, he could fight his way out, back to his family.
Edward was faster than anyone. He could make it.
Beau was glad Edward sent Seth away. It was clearly to save his young life, as there was no one Seth could run to for help. Victoria had timed her decision perfectly.
Edward's body locked into position. Beau now knew where to look.
It was like having his nightmares walk forward to greet him.
Two vampires edged into the small opening of the camp. Their eyes were intent and missed nothing. Both glittered like diamonds in the sun.
The male was around Beau's age. His eyes were the most vivid red Beau had ever seen.
Victoria was at his side.
Her hair was brighter than Beau remembered. There was no wind at the campsite, but it seemed to shimmer around her face, moving like a real flame.
Victoria's eyes were black with thirst. In his nightmares, she always smiled. Not today. Her lips were pressed into a tight line.
There was a strikingly feline quality to the way she held herself. Beau could feel her desire, that all-consuming passion to end his life. She was so close to getting what she wanted.
The focus of her whole existence for more than a year was minutes—if not seconds—away.
Beau's death.
It was an obvious yet practical plan. The boy would attack Edward. As soon as Edward was sufficiently distracted, Victoria would come for him.
It had to be quick. His death would come after something irrevocable. Something that even vampire venom could not repair.
She'd have to stop Beau's heart. Perhaps a hand shoved through his chest, crushing it.
He had to admit there was a ring of poetic justice to this plan. Her heart had been crushed when James died. It was only fair that Edward's heart be broken in the same way.
A wolf's howl echoed in the distance. With Seth gone, there was no way to interpret the noise, or determine who sounded the call.
The boy looked at Victoria, awaiting her command.
Victoria jerked her chin toward Edward, wordlessly ordering the foot soldier to attack.
"Riley," Edward said in a soft, pleading voice.
The boy named Riley froze. His brilliant red eyes widened in shock.
"She's lying to you, Riley. Listen to me. She's lying to you, just like she lied to the others who are dying in the clearing right now. You know that she's lied to them. She made you lie to them. Is it so hard to believe that she's lied to you, too?"
Confusion swept across Riley's face.
Edward shifted to one side. Riley automatically mimicked the gesture.
His voice had taken on a soft, hypnotic tone. "She doesn't love you, Riley. She never has. She loved someone named James, and you're no more than a tool to her."
Victoria's lips pulled back into a teeth-baring grimace. Her eyes remained on Beau, even when Riley looked in her direction, frantic for a rebuttal.
"She knows that I will kill you, Riley. She wants you to die so that she doesn't have to keep up the pretense anymore. Yes—you've seen that, haven't you? You've read the reluctance in her eyes, suspected a false note in her promises. You were right. She's never wanted you. Every kiss, every touch was a lie."
Edward moved closer to Riley. The movement took him a few inches away from Beau.
Victoria's eyes zeroed in on the developing gap between them. It would take her less than a second to kill Beau. All she needed was the tiniest margin of opportunity.
Riley repositioned himself as well, but slower this time.
"You don't have to die. There are other ways to live besides the one she's shown you. It's not all lies and blood, Riley. You can walk away right now. You don't have to die for her deception."
There was a foot of space between Edward and Beau now. Riley circled too far, overcompensating this time. Victoria leaned forward.
"Last chance, Riley," Edward whispered.
"He's the liar, Riley," Victoria said at last. "I told you about their mind tricks. You know I love only you."
Her voice was not the catlike growl Beau expected it to be. It was a pink bubble gum kind of voice, one that sounded incongruous coming out of her glistening teeth.
Riley's eyes emptied of emotion. There was no more confusion in them now.
Victoria was so tightly wound that she seemed to be trembling. Her fingers were in claws as she waited for Edward to move one more inch away from Beau.
A snarl preceded a tan shape moving through the air. It threw Riley to the ground.
"No!" Victoria cried.
The wolf ripped and tore at the blond vampire beneath him. Something white and hard smacked into the rocks at Beau's feet. He cringed away from it.
Victoria didn't spare a glance for the boy she pledged her love to. Her eyes were filled with a deranged level of disappointment.
"No," she said again through her teeth, as Edward blocked the path to Beau.
Riley was on his feet again. He looked haggard, but he was able to throw a vicious kick into Seth's shoulder.
Beau thought he heard a bone crunch. Seth backed off and started to circle, limping. Riley had his arms at the ready, but he seemed to be missing part of one hand . . .
Just a few yards away from that fight, Edward and Victoria were dancing.
Edward stalked her with perfect concentration. He shadowed her footwork, not allowing Victoria to position herself closer to Beau.
Edward's telepathy was a powerful weapon. He began to move just a fraction before Victoria did, reading the intentions in her thoughts.
Seth lunged at Riley from the side. There was a hideous, grating screech. Another heavy white chunk of flesh hit the ground with a thud. Riley roared in fury. Seth skipped back—amazingly light on his feet, considering his size—as the young vampire took a swipe at him with one mangled hand.
Victoria was weaving through the trees at the end of the campsite. She was torn. The burning desire for revenge—to kill—was baldly at war with her survival instincts.
Edward could see that, too.
"Don't go, Victoria. You'll never get another chance at this again."
Victoria hissed at him. But she seemed unable to leave, even now.
"You can always run later," Edward purred. "That's what you do, isn't it? That's why James kept you around. Useful, if you like to play deadly games. A partner with an uncanny instinct for escaping. He shouldn't have left you. He might have used your skills when we caught up to him."
A snarl ripped from her lips.
"That's all you ever were to him. Silly to waste so much energy avenging someone who had less affection for you than a hunter for his mount. You were never more than a convenience to him. I would know."
Edward tapped his temple as he spoke. It was a cruel gesture, one designed to inflict maximum damage. Victoria darted out of the trees with a screech of anger. Edward sprang forward to meet her, and their dance began again.
Riley's fist caught Seth's flank. Seth yelped, backing away, his shoulders twitching.
Beau wanted to jump between the two of them. Seth was just a kid. Why hadn't he stayed away? Why didn't Seth run now?
Riley closed the distance between them, driving Seth toward the cliff face. Victoria's eyes flickered to their skirmish. She was calculating the distance between Riley, Seth, and Beau.
But Seth snapped his jaws at Riley, forcing him back. Victoria hissed.
Seth wasn't limping anymore. His circling took him within inches of Edward, his tail brushing against Edward's back. Victoria's eyes bulged.
"No, he won't turn on me," Edward said at once. "You provided us with a common enemy. You allied us."
His words were distracting her. Victoria clenched her teeth, trying to focus on Edward alone.
"Look more closely, Victoria," he murmured. "Is he really so much like the monster James tracked across Siberia?"
"Not the same? Impossible!"
"Nothing is impossible. Except what you want. You'll never touch him."
Victoria shook her head, shifting further into a crouch.
She was no inexperienced, instinct-driven newborn. She was lethal. A lioness. Even Beau could tell the difference between her and Riley. Seth would be no match for her, if the roles were reversed.
The dance increased in tempo.
It was like Alice and Jasper in the meadow, only much less choreographed. Crunches and crackings reverberated off the cliff face whenever someone stepped against the music. But they were moving too fast for Beau to see who was making the mistakes . . .
Riley couldn't help but watch their violent ballet. Seth seized on his distraction and bit off another piece of the vampire. Riley bellowed, launching a backhanded blow that caught Seth full in the chest. His huge body soared across the campsite and crashed into the rocky wall above Beau's head.
Beau heard the breath whoosh from his lungs. He ducked out of the way, watching in terror as Seth rebounded off the stone and collapsed on the ground in front of him.
A low whimper escaped through Seth's teeth.
The crush of Seth's body against the cliff face had created a mini rock slide. Beau instinctively caught one of the stones as though it were a baseball. He gripped it tightly as his survival instincts awakened from their slumber.
With no chance of flight, his body prepared for a fight.
Adrenaline jolted through his veins. All Beau could see was the twisting flame of Victoria's hair and a blur of white. The metallic snaps and tears were becoming more frequent.
The dance was turning deadly for someone, but who?
Beau's mind inexplicably went to Edward's many marriage proposals. Beau was a day late and a dollar short on that front. Here, with the very real possibility they were both going to die, Beau felt a deep sense of regret for his repeated rejections.
At this moment, he would give anything for the opportunity to say yes to Edward.
All Beau needed was one more chance.
Riley lurched toward Seth and Beau. His mouth opened wider and wider as he prepared to rip out Seth's throat.
Both fights were too close. Seth was about to lose his, and he had no idea if Edward was winning or losing.
They needed help. A distraction. Something to give them an edge.
Was he strong enough? Brave enough? How much force would it take for the stone to pierce his heart? Would it buy Seth enough time to get back on his feet? Would he heal fast enough for this sacrifice to do him any good?
Beau had a better idea. He yanked off the bandage Edward had placed over his palm yesterday. The area was still raw; new skin had not yet grown over it.
Beau thought back to his eighteenth birthday party. That night, his flowing blood had been enough to capture every vampire's attention, to freeze them all in place for an instant.
He prayed it would work that way again.
Beau dragged the sharp stone across his skin.
It took almost no pressure at all. The blood flowed easy down his hand.
Victoria heard him gasp. Her eyes, full of both fury and curiosity, met Beau's.
He wasn't sure how he heard the sound over all the others. His own heartbeat should have been enough to drown it out. But in the split second that Beau and Victoria stared at one another, he thought heard a familiar, exasperated sigh.
The dance broke apart in that same moment. It was over before Beau could track the sequence of events.
Victoria had flown out of the blurred formation and smashed into one of the trees that ringed the campsite. She dropped back to the earth already crouched to spring.
Simultaneously, Edward—all but invisible with speed—had twisted backward and caught the unsuspecting Riley by the arm. He planted his foot against Riley's back and heaved—
The campsite shook with Riley's piercing shriek of agony.
At the same time, Seth leaped to his feet, blocking Beau's view.
Beau could still see Victoria. He watched the smile from his nightmares flash across her wild face.
She coiled and sprang.
Something small and white whistled through the air and collided with her mid-flight. The explosion of impact threw her against another tree. She landed on her feet, but Edward was already there, waiting to attack.
Victoria kicked something aside with her foot. Beau's stomach lurched as it rolled toward him.
It was Riley's arm.
The fingers were still twitching. They grasped at blades of grass as the arm dragged itself mindlessly across the ground.
Seth was circling Riley again. Riley was retreating, his hand pressed over the spot where his arm should have been. He backed away from the advancing werewolf, but not fast enough.
Seth rushed at Riley and sank his teeth into the vampire's shoulder. His other arm was gone in seconds.
Seth flung the arm into the woods with a shake of his massive head. The broken hissing noise that came out of his teeth sounded like snickering.
Riley screamed out a tortured plea. "Victoria!"
His lover didn't look at him once.
Seth launched himself forward with all the force of a wrecking ball. The thrust carried both Seth and Riley out of sight, where the metallic screeching and screams continued.
Then the sound abruptly cut off.
Though she spared Riley no farewell glance, Victoria seemed to realize she was on her own. Beau caught one short, agonized glare of longing, and then she started to retreat.
"No," Edward crooned, his voice seductive. "Stay a little longer."
Victoria wheeled toward the forest, but Edward was faster. He caught her around the neck as the dance reached its brutal finale.
Edward's mouth brushed once across her neck like a caress. There was no discernible sound to make this image one of violence. He could have been kissing her.
And then the fiery tangle of hair was no longer connected to her neck. The shivering orange waves fell to the ground and rolled away from the rest of her body. The head kept moving until it came to a rest at Beau's feet.
Beau thought Victoria's face looked like Caravaggio's Medusa: it was petrified in an expression of horror. Her mouth was still open in a silent scream.
Victoria's hair, once fluttering with life, went still.
