claremont

The dean put a finger to his chin as he studied this great and troubling mystery. The applicant__ response reeked of insincerity, like, __ave a nice day!_ with all the friendly burned off. __kay, Mr. Darlington. I__l just be a minute.

She closed the distance between them and gave him a tentative hug. He was liberally cologned, with a scent that incited bewildering memories. She circled him, not knowing why. She had only met him a few weeks back, yet tonight, something about him triggered old memories, of a time, a person. Maybe not. What she did know, he lacked that special ingredient that moved her. Dull as ditch water. He was sufficiently polite, but that was about all she could say. __ichael Benzehabe, from the novel Unassimilated