D reachd over and pulld fermina’s tung out of her mouth.

—better hurry  up and get that medcine inner.

D rooted around in her purse and came out with a botle of what lookd like prescription cough syrup.

—what kinda medicine is it?

—ferminabarbital. phenobarbital, tecnicly. but fermina

has made it her own⋞ D switchd to a baby voice ⋟

havent you, my preshus liddle nasty?

fermina quiverd.

D pinchd her cheek.

fermina snift at D’s hand. you could see her tiny brain
working. wait a second, thats a hand. snif... a familiar hand. snif-snif...
a flicker of recognition.... Deidra!

—i’ll fill it up this time⋞ D ⋟but for future refrence its five cc’s.

she put a syringe in the bottle and drew up some a the syrup.

showd me how to stick it in fermina’s mouth.

it wasnt hard, she was missin half her teeth.

—you cant shoot it in all at once or she’ll choke. do it a litle at a time,

slow and steady. and keeper mouth closed, so she has to swallo.

i squirted the medicine into her mouth, slow and steady.

fermina gagd.

for a minute there  it was a toss up whether she was gona swallow it
or choke to death. but in the end she swallowd it. or mostof it. a little bit
dribled down her chin so that it lookd like she was bleedin from the mouth.

then, sudenly, she relaxd.

so sudden i thought she might be dead—

until i heard her raspy breath.

D held out a hand.

i past her the limp dog.

she put her in her purse,

said—

—goodnight sweet prince.

and closed the flap.

—she looks so peaceful⋞ i said ⋟

—sleep is like a little death, isnt it fermina?

—do you think she wants to die?

—oh, she dudnt just wana die, al⋞ andy ⋟she wants D

to kill her. thats why she showd up on our doorstep

that fateful morning two years ago.

—and oneday i shall, my stinkee littel angel.

there was somethin stuck to my shirt. somethin nasty. at first i thought it was a one of fermina’s toenails. but it was more like one a those sharks teeth thats been worn down in the ocean and maybe has algae growin on it.

—i think one of her, teeth, fellout.

—leme see.

i handed it over.

—it is a tooth. here, keep it, its her gift to you.

she offerd me the tooth.

i recoild. tho secretly i desired it.

—thats o-k.

—i know you wannit. here, i’ll put it in your pocket tee.

she put it in my pocket.

—so we better think about headin soon, yall⋞ D ⋟johnsons prolly

havin a fit as we speak.

—you dont think he actialy showdup at eleven?⋞ andy ⋟

—you know he always had a penchant for time-natzary.

—yeah, but eleven?

—at least he’ll hav jondavies to keep him company.

—thank jeezus for jondavies.