"Care for some fries?" Macy offered as they walked.

  ?Kim nearly vomited. "No," she protested, recoiling as if offered a rattlesnake.

  ?"Sorry, but who doesn't like McDonald's fries?" Macy said with a mix of concern and some humor. "Come on, running girl. You can't be one of those gluten-free, no sugar, no personality types."

  ?"I'm not trying to be a snob, I promise. It's just... something got rewired in my head after what happened. Nothing tastes good. The hospital sent me home with some kind of bile I'm supposed to slop down every few hours. And it all just tastes... ew."

  ?"Oh, we're doing this again," Macy said, coming in for another hug. "You poor thing." Kim didn't push away. It had been awhile sense she had a playful teenaged embrace. It made her feel human again.

  ?Macy wasn't built like the runners on the track team; she was built like a 1950s calendar girl. She had the kind of impossible waist-to-hip ratio that rich women paid surgeons to replicate, but on her, it was just genetics. Even the baggy sweater couldn't hide the fact that she was unapologetically curvy. Even her face was classic pretty. Lip gloss and nothing else. Her face was framed by shoulder-length cherry red hair; otherwise, it was completely naked—no contouring, no foundation, no armor. Her complexion wasn't perfect, but it was close. She was the kind of girl men actually found attractive, not the kind they put in women's magazines.

  ?"It is now my life's mission to get you better!" she announced dutifully as she pulled out of the embrace. "Because food is awesome, and you are way too thin! We're going to have to nail you down on windy days."

  ?Kim heard herself laugh. It felt good. She remembered Macy's rapier wit.

  ?"There she is," Macy said to the smile. Smiling back.

  ?"I haven't looked in a mirror since the attack," Kim admitted.

  ?Macy's eyes went wide. "Adam, new plan!" she announced. Adam made some kind of noise to affirm it. "What time does the mall close?"

  ?"Eight," he muttered.

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  ?"To the mall!” She exclaimed. “I mean, you may not be able to eat, but at least you can try on clothes!"

  ?Kim was happy to get swept up in her friend's whimsy. Macy's good mood was contagious. For the first time in a month, she was feeling something other than angry or numb.

  ?Kim looked at Adam and her. "Are you two...?"

  ?"Only in Adam's dreams," Macy chided.

  ?"Come on, Mace," Adam grumbled, obviously defensive about the subject.

  ?Macy pulled him close and kissed his head. "We are friends. Because I let him think he'll get to sleep with me someday, and in return, he buys me McDonald's."

  ?Adam was clearly annoyed, and a little hurt, but he didn't pull away. Macy smiled. "Come on, I'm playing," she soothed, taking his hand and pulling him in the direction of the mall. She turned to Kim and gave a knowing wink. Again, Kim couldn't help but smile. She and Adam followed along dutifully at the side of their effervescent friend.

  ?The mall was in the "Cowboy" part of town—as close to a rough neighborhood as Alden had. It wasn't massive, but it was big for a small city. The mountains brought in a lot of tourists—for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer—so the mall stayed busy.

  ?As soon as Kim entered, she saw herself in the glass of a storefront.

  ?Baggy grey sweatpants and an equally baggy grey sweater. It wasn't uncommon for her to wear sweats, but she never used to wear them in public. Now, she didn't care.

  ?It was her face that stood out to her. Her hair was long and held back in a sloppy ponytail. It used to be a bright, sunny yellow. Now it was dirty blonde at best, looking almost dull.

  ?And her eyes. They used to be hospital blue. Now they were vivid and dark. Almost like she was wearing navy blue contacts. Her cheeks were tight, not soft and puffy like they used to be, giving her face sharp angles instead. Kim couldn't escape the impression that it was the face of a hungry predator.

  ?"Don't fall in love," Macy whispered in her ear. Kim realized that she had been staring at herself and moving her fingers along her new face. "That's why we keep Adam around."

  ?"Mace, come on!" Adam protested again. Macy gave him a bashful smile that put an end to it.

  ?"I don't look like myself," Kim whispered at the image in the mirror. Her mood souring a bit.

  ?"Yeah, but you look good. So you have to take the W," Macy interrupted. Macy's face became a little concerned. "Kim, I do a lot, but I don't do mopey. It's a waste of an emotion. You were practically eaten by a wild animal... and here you are looking like you stepped off a magazine cover in sweats with no make-up. Dare I say it could have been worse. No, should have been worse!"

  ?Kim took a breath and turned from the mirror. Her friends enforced jubilance pushing away the swelling emotions..

  "Is the department store still open?” She asked. Resolved to have some kind of teenaged girl fun. “My Dad has an account," she said with a grin.

  ?"Oh... oh, my love... your rich daddy has an account?" Macy pointed dramatically in the direction of the department store. "I didn't even know you could have an account. Lead on, rich girl!"