163 Grace: What Jer Saw
My lungs burn from the effort of dashing to Jer’s scream.
Even then, I trail far behind Lyre and Owen, who have the advantage of supernatural speed.
I hate it.
Hate being human and slow when a child needs me.
These kids are vulnerable, and I’m supposed to be watching over them–what was I thinking, letting him dash off like this? 3
Easy: Jer was being Jer. Overexcited about the idea of taking a dog with us, even if we don’t need it and she belongs to other people. I didn’t think twice about his exuberance as he bounded off to “ask for permission“. I should have.
By the time I reach the Archie and Doris’s camper site, everything’s already in motion. Broad–shouldered Owen pushes his way into the trailer first, disappearing into the doorway. Lyre, on the other hand, reaches inside and drags Jer backward, away from
whatever he’s seen.
As soon as he spots me, the boy bolts from Lyre’s grip. He slams into me, arms wrapping around my waist so tight I almost stagger back. His entire body trembles against mine, his face buried in my chest. I curl my hands around his shoulders instinctively, one palm moving to cradle the back of his head.
Whatever he saw is bad. Bad enough to shake a rambunctious seven- or eight–year–old boy. 2
Lyre stands behind Owen in the RV doorway, peering around his bulk. She lets out a long sigh. “I knew it.”
“I should have noticed,” he agrees, his voice tight with frustration.
“They hid it well enough.” Her tone is flat; whatever horror is inside, it hasn’t affected her. “They knew what they were doing.”
My stomach knots into multiple tiny pretzels. “What’s wrong?”
Against my shirt, Jer’s voice comes out muffled and small. “They’re dead.”
My heart drops to my feet. Archie and Doris–the sweet elderly couple who’d
welcomed us with barbecue and laughter–dead? We’d just had dinner with them yesterday. It’s impossible.
“Owen, take care of the kid,” Lyre says without looking back, stepping deeper into the RV to make room.
Owen backs out of the camper on her order and kneels beside us. I loosen my grip on Jer just enough for Owen to reach out, patting his head with surprising gentleness for hands so large.
“They’re not dead, Jer,” Owen says, his voice calm and measured. For once, he doesn’t sound terrifying.
But his words don’t make much sense.
I blink, utterly confused. “What?”
“The bodies are just puppets,” he explains, glancing up at me. “Vessels. Nothing to fear. Those within are merely absent for the moment.”
“How is that possible?” I ask, still holding Jer close.
Owen squints at me, like he’s trying to think of how much to share. Finally, he says, “It’s more common than you’d think. Their souls will return to inhabit the bodies when
needed.”
Souls don’t just leave your body, take a stroll, and pop back in. That’s not how anything works. Not unless it’s App–related.
Far behind him, Sadie sits in the field like she hasn’t noticed the chaos at all. Her
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