I ask for more information about her meeting with Hope. Leah sounds as if she's processing her observations into something clear to share with another person, specifically me. I think she'll be a good reporter in no time.

Romana brings our tea and after she leaves, Leah tells me the strangest thing: "She and her sister used to have their bodies fused together and now they are separate people. It wasn't easy though and they paid for it." Two sisters with fused bodies that aren't anymore, and she continues, "I saw her sister at the end of things and she looks exactly like Hope but doesn't talk. Hope doesn't see."

I've never heard anything like this and Leah adds, "She mentioned a price had to be paid and I think it wasn't with money."

I have so many questions but I settle for, "Fused? And they're from the carnival?" Conjoined twins wouldn't surprise me but formerly-conjoined twins that survive is something I haven't heard before. Not like this and I ask, "Besides the not-seeing and not-talking, are they okay?" Now I really want to meet them. I'm not interested in a freak show but something extraordinary's happened to them. Forget reporting it. I want to see it.

"Did she say who did it, who they had to pay?" It couldn't have been the two men. From what she's said, they sound like they were surprised too.