Slowly, she releases her grip on Johnny's leg and pushes herself up, first onto all fours, then onto her knees. She loses steam, there, and plops her bottom back onto the carpet, glancing between Johnny and Aiden as if she doesn't know what to make of either of them. She can feel Aiden's savage pleasure at having beaten the monsters, and she thinks: it'll be different now. She'll be okay, even if Johnny isn't here.

"Yeah," she says, absently scrubbing at her cheeks with her sleeve. Then she drops her chin to level an accusing stare at Johnny. "You said a bad word," she informs him. "You said a bunch of them."