[He's right, of course. That's how she is, and always has been, and for her to not be—]
Go check on her first.
[Is what he says.
Because something's probably wrong.
That's what he doesn't say.
Because something is wrong.
(See? is what the voices in his head tell him. See?)
He wants to tell him to run, to take the stairs to her apartment three at a time and break down her goddamn door if he has to, because as far as his mind is concerned, they all have a death warrant with their name on. The numbers on their lifelines are counting down and he can't see them. But he keeps the urgency down to a quiet, unseen exclamation point that's doing all it's screaming with no voice, wrapped up mutely inside a period.]
[Voice]
Go check on her first.
[Is what he says.
Because something's probably wrong.
That's what he doesn't say.
Because something is wrong.
(See? is what the voices in his head tell him. See?)
He wants to tell him to run, to take the stairs to her apartment three at a time and break down her goddamn door if he has to, because as far as his mind is concerned, they all have a death warrant with their name on. The numbers on their lifelines are counting down and he can't see them. But he keeps the urgency down to a quiet, unseen exclamation point that's doing all it's screaming with no voice, wrapped up mutely inside a period.]
Go now.