Sierra suddenly stopped crying and looked at her mother as if the woman had suddenly grown five heads and nine arms. "You're going to--...?!" Sierra trailed off then took her own look around. When it didn't look like anyody was listening in, she continued.

"Mom, we can't just have him done away with," she said, whispering as if she was surrounded by a crowd. "Can't you just, I don't know--set him on fake fire instead?" She sighed. She had it bad for the boy. She didn't even want to see him get hurt.

She pulled the letter back out her pocket and silently reread it. "Mom, he signed it 'Stay safe.' We were together for a year, and that's how he ends it?" she remarked. She blinked as another tear trickled down. "Are my eyes red?" If they were, she wasn't going back inside anytime soon.