“Springing into the air, I spun and delivered a nasty I-hope-someone-sees-this spin kick.”

“The air's warm with hopeful hints of spring in it. Spring would be a good time for an uprising, I think. Everyone feels less vulnerable once winter passes.”

“I bit back a gag. “Gods, your breath is kicking.” I pulled the blade free, revolted by the sucking sound. “For real.”Cocking its head to the side, it blinked. “Kicking?”“Yeah.” Spinning around, I planted my left foot and kicked out, catching the fury in the stomach. It flew back, smacking into the tree. “See? Kicking.”

“No other woman had that air of spring in January, that ever-bubbling fount of love and hope.”

“In heaven I will find you.Among the pigeons and scraped bodies. The sky’s spinning round andround. Vultured color. Darkness throbbing. Like a child spun roundand round. It does not stop.”

“He snorted and hit me in the solar plexus. I bent over and took hold of the room with both hands and spun it. When I had it nicely spinning I gave it a full swing and hit myself on the back of the head with the floor.”