He hits her. She hits the ground. Then the steps of the dance renew. Every time, she lands on her back with Jay pinning her down, his gray eyes inescapable while the forest breathes around them. With each onslaught, though, Jay seems to change. The skin on his face gains color, looking less like paper stretched over bone. As if the gray of the forest is releasing him. As if the old Jay is seeping back into his veins with each new surge of endorphins. Or maybe it’s Winnie who’s changing, her muscles and brain finally adapting four years of practice to accommodate a partner, a target, a forest.
...more
