"Young man, I don't have all day to spend
explaining medical procedures to you. It's time for
Annie's therapy session, anyway, and she can't have
visitors during that time."
"All right, I'll wait out here."
"You are stubborn."
I was only a foot or so from the windowsill. I
pressed down to lift my body and reached up as
quickly as I could to take hold of it, but I missed and
fell forward, smacking my head against the wall. For a
moment I was too stunned to do anything but lay
there.
"All right, leave, but will you t
ell her I came?" Resignation sounded in his voice.
"Of course."
"No," I muttered. "No . . . no . ."
I reached up again, this time getting hold of the
sill, and pulled myself toward the open window. "Thank you."
I heard the front door close. He was leaving;
Luke was leaving! Tony had driven him away! My
hope! Luke . . I was on my knees, and using both
hands, pulled myself up until my face was level with
the window.
"LUKE!" I screamed with all my might.
"LUKE! DON'T GO. LUKE, COME UP AND GET
ME. LUKE . . ." I screamed and screamed until my
face felt it would burst from the effort and my arms
weakened too much to hold me up. Just before I fell
back to the floor, I thought I caught a glimpse of Troy
standing at the edge of the maze, looking up. But