Girl in the Shadows (Shadows 2)

after us. A chorus of "Freaks" followed.

For the first time. I thought Echo was better off

being deaf.

I couldn't wait to get us back into my car and

drive off. I had a fear they would get into cars and

follow us. but I didn't see any automobiles rushing out after us. so I finally relaxed. Echo looked as if she had retreated into a very private, dark place. She was curled up in her seat, her head down. I had no idea where I should take her now. I simply continued driving until we reached Healdsburg. I drove into the town and, seeing an arts and crafts fair in the square, pulled into a parking spot and asked Echo if she would like to walk about the booths and see t

he things people were selling. She looked very timid and still frightened, but I urged her to go, hoping to show her good things and wipe away the bad experience we just had. Hesitantly, she got out of the car with me and we began walking through the square looking at the pottery, the paintings, and the handcrafted jewelry. I

stopped when I saw a collection of dream catchers. It brought back memories of Peter Smoke. the

Indian boy I had met in school when I lived with

Brenda in Memphis. He had given me a dream

catcher. but I had left it behind when I fled Brenda's

home.

"What is it?" Echo wanted to know.

I couldn't think of all the signs for the words I

needed. so I borrowed a pen from the handicraft artist

and wrote it all out on a slip of paper for her, just the

way I remembered :Peter Smoke had told me about it. The Indians believe that the night air is filled

with dreams both good and bad. The dream catcher,

when hung over or near your bed swinging freely in

the air, catches the dreams as they flow by. The good

dreams know how to pass through the dream catcher,

slipping through the outer-holes and sliding down the

soft feathers so gently that many times the sleeper

does not know that he orshe is dreaming. The bad

dreams, not knowing the way, get tangled in the

dream catcher and perish as soon as the sun comes up

the morning.

She read the note and smiled with incredulity.

"Really? Does it work?" she wanted to knaow. I

nodded and then I bought her one.