"Interesting. Could that be dangerous? Or have some sort of effect?"
"I'm so sorry, Haly. But... it wasn't your fault, okay? You were only trying to help."
"Oh. Okay." He paused. "Um... how are you feeling?"
"That's no good way to look at it. You tried doing a kind thing. It's not your fault that it... didn't always go well. You know, you never told me much about that."
"Most of it was fine. Just that last part... I mean, it's not like it was easy for you, either."
"Got it. But what does the carving have to do with that?"
"Well, it was almost five years once I got to the clinic. It was a year when Kol... anyway. I was never all that good at stealing, so after a while I had to find a way to get food and books honestly."