I still can’t quite believe you went through with it. I never thought you would. I thought you’d ask to not see me again or tell me off when I first suggested it.

But you want this bad enough. I can tell.

Write me back so I know you’re OK.

Love,

Zoe

EMAIL FROM AGNES PETRELLA

Date: 08/08/2000

Time: 6:41 p.m.

From: Agnes Petrella <agnes_in_wonderland_76@[omitted].com>

To: Zoe Cross <crushedmarigolds@[omitted].com>

Subject: Re: It’s finished

It didn’t work.

After everything I’ve done, and it didn’t work.

My roommate took me to the hospital the other night because I couldn’t stop vomiting. They ran a bunch of tests and kept me there for observation. But I don’t think it’s happened.

They would’ve told me, right?

They would’ve seen some sign – something in the tests. I don’t know how quickly it works or what it might show up as, but they would’ve told me they found something inside me after so many tests.

There’s no point to anything.

It doesn’t matter. It’s always never mattered.

Did I ever tell you the one about the cat and the priest?

You know, it’s been so cold lately. I read somewhere online that you should always check underneath your car before you start it because sometimes little animals like to nest under there to get warm.

Well, my roommate was working late one night, and we needed bread and eggs. So, I got in the car and drove down the street to the market on the corner of Ashworth and Beaumont. Picked up the bread and eggs – and a few other things I needed.

As I’m walking through the store, I notice there’s a priest, dressed in his robes, also shopping.

He’s dressed in expensive-looking black and has the white collar around his neck. He looks so out of place in this labyrinth of linoleum and fluorescent lighting, like a lost member of some celestial court.

So, I start to follow him through the store. I don’t know why. I just do.

I’m about to go up to him and say something – I have no idea what I’m going to say – but he dashes to the Express checkout line before I can get his attention. So, after I’m done buying my groceries, I try to catch him out at his car in the parking lot.

But, once again, he’s too quick for me and he’s already ducking into the driver’s seat. I happen to glance beneath his car because I see something moving there in the light.

Something curled beneath one of the tires.

It’s a stray cat with a bright orange tail. I wave at him to stop, but he doesn’t see me. And the car’s tires slide right over the cat.