---
"And every time I try to push through it," John said, "I come out feeling like I lost a fight with a memory. I have other battles to fight. So I work around it. That is all."
The room held the quiet respectfully. Embers sighed. Outside, a late cart rolled by with a soft clatter, and the driver hummed two gentle notes to keep his mule company. The steam from the tub made a small cloud near the rafters and then faded.
Fizz cleared his throat. It was a small sound, which was strange for a creature who liked big sounds. He placed one tiny paw on the rim of the tub, as if the tub were a person who also needed to hear him speak softly.
"I understand some of that," he said. "Not the human lung part. My lungs are a mystery even to me. But the feeling of a battle you did not invite. I understand that."
John nodded once. He did not trust himself to say thank you without sounding like he was swallowing stones.
