The smile is off their face in a snap.

They barely hear their own shriek of "KRIS!"

They want to say DON'T DO THAT or ask HOW CAN YOU TOUCH YOUR OWN SOUL, only their throat can't take yelling. Burying their face in the crook of their arm to smother the disgusting hacking, they stagger forward in primal, terrified instinct. Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no--