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"You've been a good girl," he said. "We all love you, and we'll never let anything bad happen to you again. That's a promise."

"Where's Noble?" I asked him, and he nodded toward my left.

There was Noble. smirking.

"You have no right trying to be me," he said, "You can't fish for nothing, and what about that new chain saw? You barely can hold it. What a waste. You don't have an ant farm going either.

"And when was the last time you played in my fort? You let it rot in the woods."

"What did I ask you, Noble?" Daddy said. "What did I ask you to do?"

"Be nice," Noble answered, "Are you being nice?"

"No." He shook his head at me. "You don't want to come here." he said. "You've got to be nice all day and night."

I heard Daddy's laugh, and then all of them laughed, my uncles, my grandparents, and cousins. The laughter got louder than the piano music.

"I want my electric trains!" Noble screamed. He popped and was gone.

Daddy remained there, holding my hand. "Don't leave me. Daddy," I begged. "Please."

"I never will" he said. He sat beside inc.

Together we looked at the wall and watched the pictures run by like a movie, all the pictures of me and Noble and our happy days, our walks, our swimming, our fishing together. There were the pictures of our trips, too, our rides, the times we went to the fun parks, our birthdays, on and on they ran, flashing faster and faster until they began to run into each other.

"Daddy," I said nervously and fearfully.

"I'm here," he whispered.

The pictures were soon indistinguishable balls of light that grew so bright, I couldn't look directly at them. I had to close my eyes.

"Daddy..."

I heard my voice echo.

I was falling and falling into some dark place.

"Daddy...."

"I'm here," his voice echoed back, and then... all was black.

I woke to the sound of the key in the lock and heard the door opening. Sunlight was streaming through the window so brightly, I knew it was late in the morning, if not early afternoon.

All of the candles were burned down in front of the pictures. Mommy stepped in and looked at me.

"Good morning," she said.

"You can tell me everything after you wash and change for breakfast. okay?"

I started to sit up and groaned. I felt so stiff, and there was a tiny beating of blood in my temples.

"You'll be fine," Mommy said, helping me to my feet.

"Once you have something substantial in your stomach, you'll be fine. And guess what? It's a beautiful day. You should see how our herbs are growing, too."

I followed her out, the brightness still hard to take. I had to shade my eyes.

"Youve got an old-fashioned hangover," Mommy said. laughing. "But don't worry. I have all the remedies, and the remedies that really work, too. You'll be yourself in no time."