Heartsong (Green Creek 3)

Ox stopped, but he didn’t turn around.

Joe said, “Who is it?”

I scowled at him. “Fuck you.”

“Simple question.”

“None of your business.”

“Joe,” Ox said.

Joe ignored him. “Is it still your mother?”

Little wolf, little wolf, can’t you see?

I snarled at him.

And Kelly said, “Enough.”

Joe left then, followed by Ox.

Kelly glared after them before slamming the door shut.

I paced back and forth, prowling the edges of the silver line.

Kelly hung his head, hands pressed against the door. He took a deep breath before turning around. He picked up his blanket and pulled it around his shoulders. He sat on the floor again, back against the wall. He picked up his book but didn’t open it.

I said, “This is all shit,” and “You all act like you know me,” and “You’re fucking with my head, this could all be a lie, everything could be a lie. Please let me go. Please just let me go home. I want to go home. I want to go home.”

He didn’t respond, at least not verbally.

His chest hitched.

I could smell the sting of salt.

He blinked rapidly as he looked down at his book. He didn’t turn the page for the longest time.

Kelly didn’t come back the next day.

“He’s not feeling well,” Elizabeth told me. “This human thing is taking some getting used to. His body doesn’t do what it once did, and it’s frustrating.”

“I get that,” I muttered. “My head isn’t doing what it once did.”

She laughed quietly. “Is that right? How curious. Tell me about it.”

I didn’t. For all I knew, she was trying to gather as much information as possible.

She nodded. “Okay. We can just sit here if you’d like. I often find that silence is special if you’re with someone who understands.”

I turned away from her and stared at the wall.

Kelly didn’t come the day after that either.

Chris and Tanner did, though.

I heard the sound of a million people running down the stairs to the basement. I was surprised when only the two of them burst through the door, jostling each other.

They stopped when they saw me watching them.