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again. They weren’t rich, but there was enough money to pay the bills since the house and the land were owned outright. This was done with Dana in mind, and she knew and was grateful. But her mother needed a purpose.
    Her mother was troubled by the nightmares. She never said, but of course Dana knew. She wished that she could ease her mother’s fears, but she couldn’t even ease her own. She felt so helpless.
    God, she didn’t know how to handle it.
    Dana looked up as her mother came down the stairs that morning. She smiled thinly. “Good morning, Mom. Can I fix you breakfast?”
    Denise looked at her daughter sharply, noting the purple shadows under her eyes and the grey shade of exhaustion colouring her face. “No,” she said gently. “I’ll fix breakfast this morning. What do you want—bacon and eggs?”
    Dana shook her head slightly. “No, thanks. I think I’ll just have juice and toast today. Besides, there are only two eggs left in the refrigerator. I was planning on walking to the store this afternoon.” She stood and followed her mother into the kitchen. “I’m sorry I woke you last night.”
    Another quick glance from her mother. “That’s all right, dear. No sleep again?”
    Dana said shortly, “No. But I’m not really worrying about it.” Blatant lie. She was amazed that her mother couldn’t feel the lie from her, because she knew that she was transmitting it like a live radio. “It’ll go away when it’s ready to go away and not before. I expect that will be soon though since the nightmares are fading already. The one last night was less clear and less intense. In fact I can barely remember it, now.” Another blatant lie, but her mother seemed to be well relieved because of it, and so she felt well justified for telling it.
    Later on she walked to the grocery store, a short distance that gave her plenty of exercise and a chance to get out into the mellow sunshine. The wind was still howling, rustling trees and swaying bushes, and the warmth from the sun pulsed down on her bare head, making her lethargic and sleepy. She bought a few items, enough to fill their refrigerator with a few essentials but not too much for easy carrying. She was well known at the store for she went in all the time, and the shopkeeper’s wife, Mrs. Simms, chattered to her determinedly until Dana managed to slip away. Once outside she turned to walk back along the sidewalk and came up hard against a lithe, hard body. Sunlight glittered a moment in her eyes, bright and dangerous, and then she realised that she was looking into the hard, reckless eyes of a young man named Mick, who lived down the street from her and had just graduated from high school. His daredevil attitude and insolent behaviour had repelled her more than once before and now, as his hands came out to her arms automatically and touched her skin, she realised with a jolt just how close he was to that fine edge of danger. It was in his bored, frustrated eyes, and the hard, hurting grip of his fingers. She shivered as if she had a chill. The burning sun lit on dust motes that were dancing crazily in the air.
    “Excuse me,” she said stiffly, trying to back away from him and get away from his touch. His hands tightened even more on her arms, though, and for the moment she was trapped. She hissed with pain.
    “Well, well,” Mick drawled, looking her up and down consideringly, insolently. “What have we here? Little Miss Snobbishness, isn’t it? The one who always keeps to herself as if she’s too good for anyone else. What’s happening, little lady, or are you too stuck up to answer me to my face?”
    “You always did have foul manners, Mick, and I can see that you haven’t changed,” she said coldly, looking at his hands with a sardonic raised eyebrow. “Excuse me. I have a lot to do and you’re obviously blocking my way.”
    “Now, now, now,” he chided mockingly, his hands sliding higher to cup the soft flesh of her upper arms. “Is