at the words. He realized the action and looked at me desperately, becoming more certain that the woman would not help him in the way he wanted to be helped, and hoping that I could change her mind.

Aether let her question fall to the silence, taking on a desperation of her own when Luis looked away. I thought of Scott and how uncomfortable Aether became at his rejection, even knowing that he didn’t mean it. “Why are you afraid of me?” she asked gently, trying to be disarming but maintaining a serious tone.

Luis looked back, not surprised that she knew what he was feeling, but that she’d stated it so bluntly.

“I don’t want to go back,” he said, as if afraid to speak the words.

“Why not?” I thought, surprised when the words left my mouth.

“I don’t want to go back.”

“Is there some bad life situation you are escaping—”

He started walking away, sobbing. I gave Aether the hand-across-throat sign. Whether she understood the body language or not, she comprehended that she needed to stop talking.

The man just continued walking, fighting his internal battle. Questioning whether he should say what he needed desperately to say, whether his wall should be kept up in front of people he just met. “Life is a nightmare. My mother hates me, the other kids make fun of me.” As he continued, his words came easier; he spoke them faster and more emotionally, “We cannot afford any good food, sometimes I do not eat at all; but here I can eat whatever I want… the hunger of my stomach is suppressed!” He carefully unsheathed a jeweled dagger, the prize of one of his many games… a part of his identity. He reverently ran his fingers along the blade, without fear of simulated fingers being cut. “I play games to feel better. I feel so powerful, like no one can touch me, you know. Sometimes kids even like me here, as long as I’m useful on their team. But that’s just the way life works. Life’s not fair. I’d rather just stay here, you know?”

He stood