A marvellous quality

'It's beautiful! Look Celes ... uh, miss Burroughs, that is ... it has a marvellous quality, you must touch it!' I am at the lad's side attempting to prize the ring from his finger. The colour of the stone is astonishing close up and, when I touch it, I'm filled with such warmth and overwhelming optimism, I can't help smiling, despite the ring being stuck fast on his finger.

'I won't,' she answers.

I look up at her with a bemused grin. 'Won't? Why ever not?'

'Well he's clearly unstable, anyone can see that ... ' she pauses and raises an extraordinary eyebrow. 'Why are you looking at me like that?'

'Unstable?' I'm feeling sleepy and everything in the room has a blurred edge. Miss Burroughs is a floating white cloud. So soft. Celeste! What a name!

'Yes ... UNSTABLE. That's what I said ... good grief you have a strange expression. What is the matter?'

'Huh?'

'Are you ill?'

'You know you're quite lovely Celes ... that is, I mean to say, Miss B. You're like a fluffy white cloud. You're ... you're like an angel! An angel with wings and a huge fuzzy halo that ... uh, did you feel that?' The walls begin to tilt and the floorboards begin to groan ... 'You know I think I might sit down a while.'

'You're behaving like a lunatic!'

Although, if I'm entirely honest, I don't really like you all that much.’ I slide onto the floorboards beside the lad. 'I think you're a little self-important and you behaave as thouu ...' Clunk! My head hits the floor and the world fades from blue to black.