Down Time

It's a variation of my own routine, and yet I'm overcome with disbelief. She tries to shove an ice pack under the seat, but she knows I see it and evades eye contact. There aren't any whites in her eyes, only veiny pinks engulfing all but the pupils. Crying 'til your eyes ache will do that for you, but going to sleep with a cold, wet washcloth over your face usually makes you convincingly presentable for school by the time morning rolls around. Balled-up tissues on the floor, traces of blood crusted on the edge of her nose, her sleeve is rolled up to reveal a blotch above her elbow, exacerbated by the ice pack to an angry neon pink. I ask how long she's been in the car, and she insists she's fine. I ask who did all this to her, but she keeps struggling to sweep the tissues under the seat and crack her lips into a smile. I know she doesn't trust me, and I don't blame her. It's not as though at eighteen you want everyone to find out that major sections of your life are out of control. I part my hair at the spot in the back that twinges as I test my fingertips against it, leaning the tender mountain of bump between the few inches of open window space she's allowed me.

Writ
-a formal order under seal , issued in the name of gov.

Gazette(guh-zet)
-newspaper . eg The phoenix gazette
-(British) Official gov journal containing of gov appointments and promotions

misled
-lead astray

Trio(tree-oh)
-musical composition including three singers or instruments
-group of three

Allege
-accused , w/o proof

Probe
-examine thoroughly ; to probe one's conscience

Communique
-noun - official bulletin to the public ( kuh-myoo-ni-key)

Bode
-to be an omen of ; The news bodes evil days for him.

Endorsed
-approve , support

Scrambling to take
-rushing to take ; hastily(hey stily) move hastily with urgency .
She scrambled into her coat and ran out.
-complete struggle for possession . The children scrambled for the coins we tossed.

Heralds
-refering to a phenomenon that comes before the other .
The returning swallows, those heralds of spring
-Proclaims or announces . A gd newspaper should be a herald of truth.

Intangibles
-untouchable; immaterial things .
-not clear to the mind, intangible arguments

Aplenty
-alot; more than sparingly; He howled aplenty when hurt.
-usually used after the subject it's mentioning; He had troubles aplenty

Forge links
-make of form links with . by concentrated effort

Implicated
-involved ; usually in negative , incriminating manner
-implying
-connect / relate . The malfunctioning of one part of the nervous system implicates another part


Jubilation
-state of happiness ,cheerful.
-joyful feeling
-Their jubilation subsided when they lsot the second game

bottleneck
-noun (bot-l-neck-
a process by which a progress is being impeded . Networks bottlenecks occur at surprisingly low levels of utilization .