[ And Kitty stops dead in her tracks. Her reaction to that is immediate - and severe. She draws back, her eyes going wide, and her face even pales. And she stares at the child like he's a wild beast about to bite her. Irritable, angry, sullen, sad, friendly - she's looked all of these things in their conversation to this point. The one thing she didn't look, and what she looks now, is frightened. ]
That - can't be.
[ But why not? She's younger, isn't she? And so are dozens of others. And their memories are displaced - and she can see it now, in his face, in his eyes, even in the stupid color of his stupid hair. Add twelve years and subtract that kindness there's the man who's so nasty to her, who sneers at her ideals -
How the hell did he get to that point? she wonders. More pertinently: God, God, please don't let him remember anything we've talked about if he returns to normal -
no subject
That - can't be.
[ But why not? She's younger, isn't she? And so are dozens of others. And their memories are displaced - and she can see it now, in his face, in his eyes, even in the stupid color of his stupid hair. Add twelve years and subtract that kindness there's the man who's so nasty to her, who sneers at her ideals -
How the hell did he get to that point? she wonders. More pertinently: God, God, please don't let him remember anything we've talked about if he returns to normal -
Nearly in a panic, she says: ]
I've - I've got to go.