Waves of horror woke Teri. She tore her blankets off and lunged toward the door.

  She forgot her cane. Something in her knee twisted and she fell. Rationality returned along with the pain.

  A wet gurgling noise came from the other side of the curtain that formed the “wall” between her bedroom and Ruddy’s. There was a creature there, a … thing. A monster.

  It was coming for her. She couldn’t get away.

  Xeke! she screamed. Help!

  What’s going on? Xeke said.

  Something smashed into the curtain and it fell. A shape from a nightmare flopped toward her across the floor trailing blood and mucous. She shrank from it, then caught a faint mental plea.

  It wasn’t a monster; it was Ruddy. She forced her way into its mind and found terror and pain worse than any she’d ever experienced.

  Under a tidal wave of primal fear, bits and pieces of coherent thought and emotion were flitting around. Pride. Jealousy. Determination.

  Despair.

  Oh god, Ruddy, what have you done?

  She took him over completely. It was the only way. It was a few seconds work for her to fix his body using his own powers—but putting his mind back together was another matter. His thoughts and memories were jumbled and confused, with neural pathways dead-ending and looping around. He lay on the floor twitching, eyes unfocused and wandering in different directions. As he was now, she doubted he could be potty trained.

  All the pieces were there, though. It’s just a puzzle, she thought. I’m good at puzzles.

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  Ruddy’s eyes opened as she released him.

  “Oh god, oh god …” His breath was ragged, like he’d been sprinting. His pajamas were torn and bloody.

  The door crashed open. Xeke charged in wearing nothing but boxer shorts. “What the hell?” he said.

  Teri rubbed her leg and tried to pretend she was okay, but her hands were shaking.

  Ruddy coughed and pulled himself to his feet. The sheets of his collapsed bed were covered with blood and fleshy ooze.

  “Don’t tell Cymber,” Ruddy said. “Please.”

  “Tell her what?” Xeke said. “What the fuck happened in here?”

  “Nothing,” Teri said. “It was nothing.”

  Xeke’s eyes swept from Teri to Ruddy. His mouth tightened. “You tried to shape change, didn’t you?”

  Ruddy stared at the floor.

  “Are you okay?” Xeke leaned over him. “You don’t look okay.”

  “Teri … saved me,” Ruddy said. “She took over and … fixed me. I’d be dead ... or worse.”

  “Jesus,” Xeke said. He looked at the mess again. “How far did you go?”

  “Imagine an inside out tiger,” Teri said. Her knee was throbbing.

  “You ... idiot,” Xeke said.

  Ruddy nodded. “Yeah, I am. Just swear you won’t tell Cymber. Please?”

  Xeke stared at him for a moment longer, then yawned. “Believe it or not, I think I’m getting used to this sort of thing. I won’t say a word to her, but you better promise not to do this again until you’re ready.”

  “Never. Again,” Ruddy said.

  “Don’t say never,” Xeke said. “You just need practice.”

  “Never,” Ruddy said.

  That’s probably good enough for now, Teri said to Xeke. I think Ruddy’s idea of never is different from most people’s.

  “Fine,” Xeke said. “I’m tired. If no one is dying, I’m going to explain to April that you had a nightmare, and try to get some sleep.”

  “Thanks,” Ruddy said. Xeke was already out the door.

  “You saved my life,” Ruddy said. “Again. Thank you.”

  “Just ... try to think things through, okay, Ruddy? Please?”

  He nodded.

  She climbed back into her bed and pulled her blankets back over her, trying to ignore the lingering smell of blood and viscera. “If you aren’t sure something’s a good idea, come ask me, I’ll be happy to...”

  “OK, Teri. I got it. I’m sorry. You don’t have to treat me like a five-year-old. I just made a mistake.”

  “I know,” Teri said. “You scared me, that’s all.”

  Ruddy lay down on the floor next to his broken bed. He was radiating so much shame she didn’t know how she was going to sleep.

  Another mind touched hers. Good work, Teri, Fred said. I’ll send Corey over to take a look at your knee.

  No, I’ll go find him. I need to get away from Ruddy for a while.

  “I’m going to take a walk,” she said. “I’ll be back a little later.”