The basement door opened without a sound. Caleb knew there was nothing for it to creak on. He descended, the dim lamp light pulling her frightened face from the gloom. He stopped a few steps away, not coming closer.

"I know you're scared. But not now. Right now, you are safe."

He spoke quietly, almost wearily. His hands, crimson up to the elbows, hung motionless by his sides. He saw her gaze stick to the dark stains on his camouflage pants.

"This isn't your blood. You can see that, but I had to say it."

He took a step forward, and she instinctively recoiled against the wall. He froze, his face twisting into a grimace of something resembling pain.

"I won't touch you. Tonight... tonight I've had my fill." He said it with disgust, not towards himself, but towards the fact of it, the necessity. "She was nobody. Just... noise. And you... you are not noise."

He turned to leave, his silhouette seeming enormous in the faint light. His hand was already on the stair railing.

"Sleep. In the morning, I'll bring you the new book. The one you asked for."