George&Sarah

云清

& H/ d& b+ X, l- D$ u$ ia enjoyed. a signage. He'd seventeen. days, guys. that, a friends. didn't a team. to. holiday. a a week.
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5 h0 Z& b' |2 [4 h3 OHowever, go, a wasn't them. mind. away. toast. a door. door, a doorstep, guard. down. hand, a accident. disbelief, him. days, a visitors, officials, hadn't ages.
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A funeral, a solicitor. off, paid, a him. nineteen, a again. life, alone.

Then, off.
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( k3 R) x7 U8 Y$ I" |Now, forty, time. ago, a relish. inheritance, lifestyle, life. a house. wished, newspaper. 9:00 precisely, & Post.

shift, a ponytail.

. \/ x& t% [: Q: G+ A1 oShe'd door, a being. opposite.

9 W( y$ B# e5 c6 L% W# l  iHe'd a a newspaper. He'd a note. she'd answer. pushed. a challenge, a overcome. months, he'd a a him. She'd weather, gossip, milk. today, changed. shop, froze. wasn't there. Instead, counter, a newspaper. counter.

+ w% H: Y& d$ C% V% B( F"Three fifty," grunted, him. counter. home, a weight. routine. armchair, wasn't there. sick? job? He'd everything, over. hunched. didn't matter, didn't matter. himself. door, a knot. dropped. counter.
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"Morning, George. yesterday, I mum. a fall." up.

"Three fifty, please." hand, note. hers, a him.

! |& m, F. K/ H+ Q0 a3 R: {"What's wrong, George?" mouth. "I... I missed," managed. broke. widened. "I you, too, George," whispered.
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"You know," quietly. hand, "Of here, you're a morning. nice." there, time.

"See tomorrow, George." morning, counter. "Morning, George. It's a today. freezer?"
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"Not today," said, a time. paused, a breath. "Maybe I biscuits." a small, her.
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6 E; V; j. \- W2 @: Z"They're lovely, George," said, change. "Have a I'll tomorrow." nodded, home. strictly, cup. he'd her. conversational. them. A unnerving.
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" A$ `4 ^  p$ v' P- Y) e1 ^0 ~"Good morning, George. biscuits?" eye. "They nice, you, Sarah." Thursday, a ago. didn't tea, investigate. rack, headlines, display.
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% q- D  j: y" E: v1 i"Do a hand, George?"

, s4 O! i5 h% z1 U"No. Just..." hesitated, "comparing headlines."
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" o. n# f. K6 u6 t& q# l"Ok," said, counter. "Well, shelf. It's a aroma." a nod, paper, tea. retreated. days, same, elsewhere. morning, a shop. window, arrived. "Oh, George, it," said, him. "Honestly, I this." newspaper, a small, rack:
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8 s. S) ~0 I( u2 r1 |& Q* o2 v" dSALE: 10 a tin.
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8 O  H  H8 ~1 D1 u% H; M"Great choice," counter, "It's a this." items. "That'll twenty, please, George," said. a a bars, counter. froze. leave. could, a his.
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# r4 x# ^0 Q7 y  G9 G"It's ok, George," said. "Accidents happen. You're over." rack. newspaper. him, him.

8 z- \0 P0 Q; \/ A" m4 E  A. H"Are today?" money. "Yes," said, tea. "I will. I a brighter, Sarah." widened. "It a warmer. tomorrow, George." kitchen, tea. described. a a saucer, room. armchair, lap, a tea. wasn't fine. comforting. a day. a her. something. knew, instance, a worn, small, lists. him. a woman?
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+ L0 h0 b! C5 f7 [3 P( x9 z$ {/ LA later, shop's wasn't on. phone, a speaker.
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- M1 x; {9 i/ E3 F$ q"What radio?" asked.
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, x; D% G, x- T"It's up," sighed. "It's ages." spoke, a mind. A loft. A a case. hadn't years. a didn't anymore. arm, home. radio, back. up. radio, that, ladder. a breath, down, place. didn't rush, for. a worked. Finally, string. morning, shop, chest.
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. {5 o. l& }5 X9 d7 z"Morning, George! miracles," beamed. "You're early." counter. rose. "What's this? Recycling?" her. "Your broken. works." paper, him. "You me?"

"I didn't it. Dad's. I've a time." paper. a breath.
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9 ~8 p7 z! o. U2 u/ k"It's wood. Teak. good."

- P" V0 c4 I9 ~! @+ ?! f& W7 S"It's beautiful," said, up.
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  ^3 x7 H: D% w"They don't anymore." bright. "And you've time? it?"

"I go," said.

"Thank much," said, thick. "That's lovely, George." one. on, play.
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2 h2 b2 e! D5 |6 B7 N# ^  |"It's a station," said. "Feel to." a shop. "No, I I'll it," said, radio. "It here." week, a warm, music. a it. Monday, silent. counter, flustered, knob. "Good morning, George. I'm sorry. I couldn't properly. I'm happened. It's now."

"It's old, patience," said, "can I radio?"

"Of can." radio. station, a slow, twist. again.

"There," said. "It's now." a moment, radio.
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"Thank you, George," said, arm. "You've touch." a neck. "It's a tuning," simply.

: c/ C& v2 \7 o% X/ J. e9 f"Well, it's I do," laughed, counter. "I broken."
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"It's you're to," her. "It a finesse." smiled. "I'll that. Finesse. Right." a note. change, door, him.

"Hey, George? a sec." a stool. "If up, a bit, this," a smile. "Think station." stool. "Thank you, Sarah." mornings, empty. Friday, a aisle. blockedthem. driver, a man, sweating, up. "Sorry, mate, minutes." counter. "I'm sorry, George, late," stool. "Here, a minute, please." stool. narrow. him.

+ l+ T* ]6 `' Z, i"Thank you," said. cleared, didn't immediately. a her. Eventually, though, arm, home. weeks, quiet, he'd a longer. They'd talk. he'd years. Tuesday, a small, photograph. a table. "It's a radio," said, counter. "I a light."

"Thank you, George, that's you."
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  F! j- y2 m3 h5 \5 F- }A later, till. "Morning, George." paid, a a ribbon. "This me," said. "Just a something."

"Thank you, Sarah," said. firm. home, package. a a note. a time. didn't cry. hadn't decades, enough. bookmark. later, o'clock a eyes. today. bed, ceiling. shop, 9:15 went. 9:30 am. door. late.

"Is ok, Sarah?" asked, a counter. "You worried."

# x) k6 U+ Z2 f' M& d1 u"It's George. hasn't paper."
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"The hermit?" asked.

"He's a hermit. He's quiet. he's late."
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8 |. _/ j% k8 e"People talked, know. accident. he'd on. Instead, stayed. away."
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1 N, R% l2 `- Z/ p' z"Where live, Henderson?"

/ M' U9 x" B0 S6 Q% n( d! |( U"Miller Lane. fourteen. a bug," said, milk. 1:00 pm, ended. shop's a soup. a started. Light. Persistent. bed, a gown, door. peephole. Sarah. open.

"Sarah," said. thin. "I am... I unwell."

8 I4 y8 x( C7 U( O- G4 x! J"George, I didn't morning. dreadful. ok?"

' R1 E$ e! p; k"I a fever," admitted, firmly. "I'm disruption." didn't move. "You haven't a disruption, George, please, you. I things." bag. face, it. him. through. "Five minutes," said, hallway. inside. "Right. minutes," table. "But first, forehead." forward, skin. "You're up," said. "Have anything?"
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0 V; S5 X- h7 x9 T6 ]"No. I don't here," admitted.
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/ W! H$ U& F0 S* [, ?. L& C  F"Of don't," sighed, "I'm tea. bed," gently, "You rest." care, obeying. a later, a Assam, a water, a thermometer. table, temperature. Reluctantly, a head.

% a% x  j/ u3 E8 Z"After you've tea, I'm you," said. " hot." cover. "Your newspaper," said, "delivered personally. Now, I sorted." cup. rose, strong, her. a tea. right. it, done. a them. leave, evening. object, smiled, lightly, anything. evening, stable. door.
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"Hi, George. I a shop. It's vegetables, stomach." hallway. forehead"You shouldn't trouble. here. for... me." arms. serious. "George," said, "you aren't you. You're George, you're help. it." vegetables. water, door.
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1 G- T% m: j5 U. P"The table. slowly. I'll starts, sure, I'll newspaper." leave, it. "Sarah... wait. I don't this. I've I didn't anyone. I don't words. I don't I you."
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back, eye.
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: G' S# n' w$ W! S# N  c  n1 T5 E+ ~# {"Everything working. life... stopped. there. you."
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6 S) c7 f0 b( f( h* l: a"George, me," said, firm. "There debt. people. We're a team, ok? rest, I'll morning." gone. him. George, now. vegetables, sleep. arrived."Morning, George," said. "You're a today."
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' l* h4 N4 ^$ ~9 Z; E' |% O"I'm a better, you," said, her. counter. "Make breakfast, lunchtime'll good. fluids."
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"I will. you."
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! c6 W; p- l6 s, y2 I8 A5 N"Your normal."

"Ok," said, a moment. "Can I we're a team?"

# s5 D7 y) L0 p! r/ {/ m"I don't back. It's other. I you're yourself, I'm you. I you'd I help."

He'd a morning.

7 l; P2 s$ W$ E7 g+ \- J"I would," softly.
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+ C& W  W7 F6 q* ]"Exactly, that's part," said, softening. "We're a other's day, George."

"Does we're friends?" him, a face. "It's a that, George. we're friends." a better, routine. shop, counter.

"Morning, George. It's back." a her. "Can I something?"
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/ o1 ~" P# [. K"Of can, George, anything."
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"As we're now... um, I wondering... a beach?" adding, "but to, course."

"I'd much, George."
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$ w- b8 {5 o8 [/ V6 j"You would." didn't excuse, hadn't. guard. face. "Would I later?"

5 c0 |4 \6 H1 T) W"I I will." his. "I'll then, George." leave, "George, aren't something?" around. "What's that?"
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"Your newspaper."
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"I don't today, Sarah. I a now." mirror, couldn't yes. hadn't a time. this. & Post. a door. o'clock, out, a shoulders.
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"Hi George," him.

5 o1 {; F' l+ V( B0 a. ["Hi, Sarah." together, them, his. promenade, silence. "It's I be," said, fleece.

8 e  K5 {  `- S4 H6 _8 j"It is."

"Look out," said, sand. "Soaking in."
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' f: U, N  g! I- x4 k% N"Looks way." a bench, a stop. "Can a while? I've six." first, lap. sea, shoes, her. them, smaller.

"You know, I here, I didn't anyone. I plants."

"But people." smiled. "You what's door. you... different. a escape," softly. "Funnily enough, that's much."
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" F( B1 |( [# N"I've invisible. I quiet."
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3 D  C+ x3 O+ W) A$ q! @"And now?" asked, him. unwell. "You all. It's a frightening," admitted. "But I'm adjusting." bag, a one. hour, biscuits, beach, sea. back. house, stopped. "See tomorrow, George."

6 a0 Z5 r2 z- X' z6 {2 i"I'll there, I early. I playing." arm. a gesture, him. now. a alone, one. together. conversations hadn't years. forever. afternoon, walked, flushed, didn't away. walking. a word.

, n% L! k+ k' z; w* u/ oA later, a quiet, gate.

: \, U& e. S- `# |9 G/ {7 o"George," whispered, nearer. "I you. a team." paused, dropping. "Instead tomorrow... here?" house, her. a a time. that, thought.

: \' Z: b: ?' m% T% S: L  X# w"Yes," said. smiled. "Tomorrow. beach. Just... here." out, a a skirt.

, }) a) w8 q/ ]: R; m"Ready?" asked.
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/ G. H$ e* x: v6 R3 j) a2 T& n"Ready," replied. strolls. door, a it.
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"Welcome," said, aside. inside, shoes. shoes, wall.

"I'll on," said, kitchen. sink. rhythm, leaves.
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7 b& \2 b" d. p6 S' S"Sit down," said, table. a sat, him. "You know, George," a little, "I here. I don't door." paused, hand. didn't immediately. "It's a house, Sarah. special." a while, tea. a room. spotless, place.
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- |# R# p$ \8 k2 I- g"It's a home," said, down. "Would around? to, course." hesitated, nodded. "Sure. I that." first. doors. didn't them.

+ E+ W) q9 p0 N: J  Z"My parents' room. sisters'." doors. didn't handles. "You've same?"

"I don't much," said. "Only winter. end. It's a bathroom." rooms. stairs, a right.

"This room. I a study."

9 J! _# `/ z; S; {( o0 l8 PA wall, window. paper, a calculator, a pen. files.
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"It's organized," said, doorway.
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"It's I house," said. didn't in. door. hallway, room. "This I time. I on." room. heavy, a oak. wall, a radio. table, heavy, dark, expensive. television. garden.
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"The work," said, glass. "But I privacy."
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& p: m" i2 B) w+ l, X2 O& K) j+ h"It's beautiful." breast.

5 Y; Z, l/ u9 Y& H3 Z% {"That's it," said, kitchen. hallway, end. "You one, George." stopped, frame. didn't bedroom. "It's bedroom," said. "You've it. I unwell." him. "I a there, George. I haven't room." hesitated. small. Slowly, door. first. a room. A a wall. A corner. inside. "It's peaceful," said. "The garden. morning."
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"I do." table. room, smaller. bed, her. door. "Well, that's it. That's house." chest. steady. "I here," softly. "The shone. I you, George. you." still, hitched. didn't move. cheek. contact, didn't away.

"It's ok," whispered. in. happen, his. a room. there, a little, close. back, didn't away. hard. her, dazed. face, sides. trembling. differently, didn't. face. warm.

, X8 S6 v3 `8 t8 C; B/ X5 q"Are ok?" asked.

' p2 q+ n" T& g$ f. G! T2 @) ]"I so." his. that, a while. bed. hand. "We slow, George. We've afternoon." a little. her. George, Sarah. shirt. gently.

"Sarah," whispered. "There's know. I've never... I've this. all."

"You you're a virgin, George?" gently. nodded, floor.

"George," softly, "We've shop, walks. We'll out, too. me, ok." blouse, open. hand, shoulder, floor. him, shirt, drop. belt, throat. trousers, them. Finally, legs. air, hard. slowly, warm. tightened, a lips. widened, hand. a go. a back, his. feet, knickers. him, hitched.

"You're... you're beautiful," breathed, body. smiled, "It's me, George." a kiss. his. breathless. a tip. him. her. "Are this?" asked. a moment, nodded. in, him. couldn't her, him. a pace, suction. a couldn't contain. involuntarily, short, built. a deeper, a chest. peak, in, hollowing.

"Sarah," croaked. nodded. mouth, it. still. him. a gaze, hands, her. duvet. "Come me," said. bed, a hesitant, pillows. arm.
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"Are you're ok, George?"

$ C9 P2 u0 w% L3 _4 k0 G"I'm...I'm yes, I'm ok."

$ P" u- O) g5 n) X# h. d8 Q"Do me, George?"

) E" V2 }9 }, B"I'm mean, Sarah." legs. a circle. her. her. a faster, pace. gasps. him. wrist, her, shuddered, came.
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1 R& e: G) g$ U"Again?" breathed, again. a small, shoulder.

"I can't it," admitted, a whisper. "Watching that." thighs, clearly. again, him. watched, away, her. chest, a slow, rhythm. "Just me, George," whispered. up, waist. breasts. softness. his, hips. "Yes," breathed, back. "Just that." a go. didn't away. her, steadier. back. hand, thighs, in. gently, deeper. pace, back. her, deeper. waist, in, him. came. him, couldn't back, followed. her, shoulder, settled. Then, side, both. ceiling. light, floating. didn't arms, she'd it, hip.
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"You're quiet, George," whispered. swallowed. tight. "I'm just... thinking."
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9 @/ ~1 i  \! j  a5 s"About?"
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"About I wasted." her. "I've same. I point. place."
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+ G, _6 @* [( p5 j9 Q8 E4 \; h"It wasn't wasted. weren't yet." a laugh. "I didn't it. I down." smiled, "Are ok? Really?"

"I'm a ok."
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5 `! T2 h  I) t; O- v, N"Good," said, his. "Because I house." didn't yet. "Are hungry?" asked.
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% g" }/ m# f9 x"Starving," said.

3 R8 B6 t& g/ r) O0 E2 Q"I bread, cheese, tea," said. "It isn't much, it's I've got."
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"It's perfect," said, hand. morning, didn't pavement. didn't neighbour's yapping. walking, they'd years. & Post, open. cellos. counter, around. him, a neck. didn't loud, "Morning, George!" to, up. counter. "Forgot something?" whispered.

( M- E) D# Y# Z"I didn't anything," said. "I you." widened. counter, open. "Just me?"

( e8 [+ ?5 K7 \* D9 S& F"And beach."

; z- \8 p1 l3 u7 }1 B3 [, |"I'd that," said. "I'll I'm done." walked, close. there, heavy.

" k4 t% @/ I$ C( u: C"You're today," said, him. nodded. "I lighter, a gone."

6 w" |  V% @+ X7 \"That's a thing, then."
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' i5 T0 J- w- ["It is." promenade, said. "I radio," sea. "How I a old. I I myself."
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0 v  M: l  j; r# d+ \"I it," softly, "You knobs, precise. gentleness, yesterday." flush. "I've a distance, I on," her. "I terrified, Sarah. I I in, I'd overwhelmed."

( h% b6 B8 Z7 H5 e) Q; @1 t"And you?"
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" ]; x  w4 V' s3 b5 F"I am," admitted, "but it's I be." a while. water's edge, a noise. ago, go, he'd leave. Now, there.
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6 s/ N: v" d! s" `- C, Z"What now, George?"
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1 [8 W; Q3 f( p% d9 A3 ~# R4 H  p"For years, I routine," said. "But I'll tomorrow." him. "I've beach," whispered. "Do house?" arm. "Yes. I'd that."
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