REBIRTH
“No.”
Maria jerked her head around, seeking the tattooist’s eyes.
Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap.
The puppy jumped out of the arms of the sleeping child and began stretching its tiny limbs. The old man continued undaunted. Maria was breathing quickly, her dark eyes half-wide awake, searching the room. Her gaze drifted past Robbie, unseeing, sensing only her pain. He could tell from the shadows and sweat on her face, from her restless movements. The air in the room was changing, the soundscape shifted from an intense passive buzz forward into the fading light of the fire that was threatening to burn down. Robbie threw more logs into the flames. He didn’t dare speak, ask Maria how she felt. He wasn’t even sure that he hadn’t lost the power of speech during the long silent hours togeth
