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Hazel froze. Somewhere down the hall, a voice called out to her. It echoed in the cold stone hall. It was deeper than hers. A man. A hopeful spark ignited in her -- she could ask, he might know what was going on -- and then, a no. Ugh. Maybe if a halfway decent smart person came along, she might be better off, Hazel thought to herself disdainfully.
"It's me," she replied, just as loudly. She turned a corner, dodging a patche of mildew, and walked into another bubble of light. "My name is Hazel," she said, raising her chin slightly. This man was certainly taller than she was. "Hazel .. Edgar."

She observed the man carefully. He certainly didn't look that bad.