6

Putting one hand gently on Arctus's head, you close your eyes. For a few moments, all you feel is the faint pulse of her heartbeat—but then an anxious tingling starts to run through your arm. It's obvious from her behavior that she's on edge, but you can sense a kind of curiosity as well, as if there's something she desperately wants to chase but doesn't know where it is.

In a flash, you remember the other morning, when out of nowhere she ran out into the yard and vanished—and with a lurch in your stomach, it hits you that something like that might be about to happen again.

But then, almost as suddenly as her meowing started, she shakes herself and looks at you with eyes that are much more like normal. With that, she wanders off again, leaving you a little bemused—but that's just what living with a cat is like sometimes. Still, you make sure not to take your eyes off her for too long as you head back over to the porch, before sitting down with your laptop once again.

At once, you see that the news site is still open on the screen; but rather than dwell on today's news for too much longer, you go to check your email instead.

When you see you have an email from Nic, you wonder if it might be something to do with today's vote—either talking about how she's feeling or asking you what you're planning on doing.

As you start to read it, however, you realize it's something quite different.

Hi Huknock,

There's no easy way of saying this—but I've been trying to make up my mind for a long time, and I think I've finally decided that I'm going to leave town soon. Maybe even today. I know it sounds really sudden, but what with everything that's going on, I just feel like I need to get away somewhere I can take care of myself better. I don't think this town is really right for me, and I don't think I'm going to be happy here in the long run. I hope that makes sense.

I'm sorry I don't have much more to say. I just wanted to let you know. Thanks for everything, Huknock—let's try to keep in touch, okay?

Nic.

You finish reading—and as you go back over what Nic has written, you feel more and more: