Strange New Worlds 10

The Smell of Dead Roses

by Gerri Leen

Perrin huddled on the balcony, trying to will herself into invisibility as the

fight between her parents raged on. She stared out at the other building, hating

that the people across from her might be staring back, might be feeling pity.

"Perrin?" Her sister snuck out through the open door and crawled into her lap.

"It'll be all right."

Nanda was too little to understand what had happened. She'd been bouncing around

Perrin all day. Excited to eat Perrin's birthday cake -- cake that was now all

over the floor.

It had made a strange sound as it hit, knocked off the table by her father. Not

a crash -- it was too soft for that. But not a gentle sound, either. There had

been a sucking noise, as frosting met wood, as cake smashed down, causing the

frosting to spread out even more. Nine candles had hit first. Nine candles that

were broken now and would never be lit.

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