"It's just a candy, tastes like the fakest strawberry in existence, but it's good. My favorite, actually," Sharon was a simple girl and strawberry was The Best.

The conversation continues and, at Tinya's innocent smile, she rolls her eyes, letting out a disbelieving uh-huh. She knows better. Plus, that dress screams scheming. It suddenly dawns on Sharon that Tinya may have chosen the dress as a way to distract other players or even the dealers. Smart.

She spots that smile Tinya shoots after the game and laughs in her throat as she finishes her drink off. She knew that look. Tinya was just getting started.

"Yeah, you probably would've. You're so lucky I was with you," she's laying it on thick, clearly joking, but then her tone gets more serious, "I still have nightmares about it. I was terrified we'd go through it again this month."

It's the figures in that house that really haunt her; the heat without heat; the way the air had choked them. A shiver races down her spine and she has to physically shake it off, "Guess we lucked out this year."