“uz ik luk com li caid?”

“Yeah, it does look a complicated…but maybe…maybe I can get this bit out of your mouth.”

“aaah! ooo it…leeeze” A tear slid down Stephan’s cheek and joined the river of drool running into his collar. He used the frayed sleeve of his school shirt to wipe it away.

“Please? You’ve never said please in your life! Maybe this thing does work.” she said poking him in the side.

“AY! skooo yoo”

“Easy now! You don’t want to set this thing off. Just let me think a minute.”

Her fingers followed the intricate jointed braces and cords over her brother’s ear and back behind his head. The clamps controlling his jaw and neck movements met beneath a solid metal plate. There were two hexagonal openings that the “facilitators” used to make adjustments. She smiled and ran to her dresser.

“I KNEW these damn wrenches were good for something! Thank you Ikea!”

Kayla inserted one end of the little L-shaped wrench and turned it clockwise.

At The Center, Faulkner’s monitor flickered to life.