Chapter 64:
Robert's Point of View
My hand reached out to grip the neck of the dark bottle; her fingers, which touched my hand,
were as cold as death, and her gaze behind the mask was hollow, extinguished,
as if her soul had departed her body leaving only wreckage behind.
At that moment, I realized that the "Julie" who entered this place tonight was over,
and what stood before me now was a new monster created by my own hands.
I removed the cork with a faint pop, and the scent of aged grapes filled the void between us.
I said in a tone that carried a cold appreciation:
"Excellent choice... this is a fine red wine."
She snatched the bottle from my hand with a crude motion;
she didn't wait for an elegant glass, but instead took a large mug designated for "beer" that was perched on the bar,
filling it until the dark liquid almost overflowed its edges.
I watched her hand trembling as she raised the mug, and said calmly:
"It seems you have never drunk before."
