I know.

[ The words are quiet, because he knows it was the house, the damn thing got its claws in and tore them apart piece by piece and he didn't choose, but it doesn't feel like less of a failure for that. She told him to stay away, didn't she?

But the rest of her words....he can't look at her. His head drops, gaze lowered, darting, looking anywhere but at her as he forces his answer out, voice cracking now. ]

They said...They said you hung yourself.

[ His hand reaches up to rub at the back of his neck reflexively. Because he'd known, he'd known the moment she woke him up with it, but he hadn't been able to acknowledge it until he saw her after. ]

I know it wasn't you though. It happened but you didn't do it.