is the only person in the entire world who sees things the way they really are. That gets pretty lonely, let me tell you."

"Okay, fine," Peter said. "So what do you want me to do about it?" He stood up and crossed to the fireplace for no apparent reason, too restless to sit still.

"Have her over for curry take-away night!" said Bruce cheerfully. Then he added more seriously, "She has a right to know the truth, don't you think?"

"The truth?" Peter said, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure," said Bruce. "When it seems like everybody around you is influenced by one of the penumbra, it feels like the whole world has been taken over by aliens except for you. You feel helpless and alone. But she's _not_ helpless, and she's nota ruin on the other side of a ravine too precarious to cross."

"Trick of the light or something?" said Peter doubtfully.

"Some trick," Brock murmured. He looked sick to his stomach again.

As they headed towards the tree line, Peter noticed that the cheerful sunshine had also faded into dreary cloud cover that threatened to rain. "I think we're leaving the safe zone," he whispered to Lily.

"What have I been telling you?" she hissed back. Then with one more anxious glance at Peter, her expression changed to determination.

"Don't do it!" Peter whispered immediately. He didn't know what she was planning, but he was pretty sure he should talk her out of it.

Lily ignored him and set her jaw. "Kane?"

Kane turned around expectantly.

"How come today you're acting normal, when yesterday you