Page 51 of Fever Dream

“It sort of does.”

Elizabeth shakes her head.“Either way, your life gets altered forever.Sometimes you have to accept the lesser of two evils.”

“I could never live with myself.I’m not like you.”

Her mouth hangs open, and she gives me a look that says,Have you heard nothing I’ve said?“You’re going to have to be.”

“How?”

“There are a few things you need to know…but mostly this…”

She does that thing where she pauses mid-sentence that I hate.“What?”I say.“What do I need to know?”

“Whatever he asks of you…he doesn’t want to take it, Grace.Not with force.He wants you to comply, but more than anything, he wants you to make the decision, and that’s almost worse.”