deposit the empty bag in the garbage can. Elvi then walked over to peer out the
window while she waited for the second bag to disappear.
A little sigh slid around the bag in her mouth as she peered out at the sunlit yard.
Maple trees, spruce trees and lilac trees lined the sides and back, interspersed with
irises, rose bushes, climbing clematis and various other flowers. A birdbath sat near the
back right corner by a white bower and as Elvi pulled the now empty bag from her
teeth, she chuckled at the sight of two birds splashing and flapping around in it.
"Maybe you shouldn't be so close to the window," Mabel said with concern.
"Victor said I could go out in sunlight," Elvi reminded her as she threw out the second
bag.
"Yes, but it will weaken you," Mabel told her. "You want to avoid it as much as
possible."
Elvi snorted at the suggestion. Far from wanting to avoid it, she wanted to run out
there and roll around naked in it. God, she'd missed the sun.
"Mabel's right," DJ announced coming into the kitchen from the foyer. "The more
exposure you get, the more blood you will need."
"But I want to go outside in the garden," Elvi said and frowned at the childlike whine in
her own voice. She turned to peer out at the yard, feeling like a penniless child staring
through the window of a sweetshop, mouth watering over the sight of all those lovely
treats, but knowing she couldn't have them.
"You can go out, but you need to be careful," DJ said soothingly. "You'll have to wear
long sleeves and a hat and gloves, and stay in the shade as much as possible. And you'll
have to double up on blood."
Elvi frowned guiltily. She survived on blood the townspeople donated and didn't want
to burden them any more than she had, but she so wanted to go out in the garden.
"Go on," DJ said quietly. "Go put on a long‐sleeved shirt and find a hat with a big brim.
And switch those capri pants for long‐legged slacks."
Elvi didn't have to be told twice, turning on her heel; she jogged back upstairs to
change. She would restrict her forays into daylight, but she was definitely going out
today.
By the time she was finished changing, Elvi's room looked like a small tornado had hit
it. She'd tossed her clothes off, throwing them willy‐nilly and leaving them where they
landed, hopping back to the door as she was still pulling on a pair of dark slacks. Elvi
did up the buttons of her blouse in the hall on the way to the stairs and arrived
downstairs lacking only a hat and gloves.
Fortunately, Mabel had those for her. She also had sunscreen, and under DJ's
instruction, slathered it on so thick that it was a series of white streaks on her skin.
Elvi suffered all this uncomplaining, knowing the pair were just trying to look after her,
but the moment they decided they'd done the best they could to protect her and
stepped out of the way, Elvi was off like a racehorse leaving it's stall. Charging forward,
she slammed through the kitchen door and out onto the back deck, only to pause
there and stand frozen, shaking with excitement and a little fear under the midday
sun.
She didn't burst into flames which was a relief, and while the sun felt lovely warm on
her skin, it wasn't burning hot or anything. It felt quite lovely. Elvi let loose a little sigh
of mingled relief and pleasure, then walked to the edge of the deck, and paused again,
her gaze moving over her garden, taking in everything.
Before the turn, Elvi had spent hours everyday in her garden; weeding, planting,
pruning, watering. She used to keep feeders with seed for birds and used to leave out
peanuts for the squirrels, chipmunks, and blue jays, and bread for the finches. Every
day she spent some time just relaxing and watching the animals come for their fare.
That all ended when she was turned.
The bird feeders now sat empty and neglected, most of them in poor repair. The
birdbath had water in it, but only because it had rained last night. It was in desperate
need of cleaning. As for the garden itself, it had grown wild over the last five years.
One day wasn't going to be enough to repair the damage time had done. Two weeks of
working from dawn to dusk wouldn't have been enough time, and Elvi felt her
shoulders slump with disappointment.
By moonlight, the garden hadn't looked nearly this bad. It seemed obvious that she
was going to need help with this project. She'd have to hire landscapers or something
to do most of it, Elvi realized. She'd look into that next week, once the men were gone,
but for now she could at least do some of it herself and see what was left of the
garden she'd tended so lovingly before the turn.
"Elvi?"
It took a moment for her to realize where the voice came from. She actually glanced