I nod, and he rests his hand on my forehead.
“Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”
He removes his hand. “Amen.”
“Amen,” I murmur too.
I walk Father Thomas out and he waves as he drives away.
Then I roam the grounds, because Dare isn’t here and I’m restless.
The mausoleums are quiet, the gardens are still.
And then,
There’s the boy in the hoodie.
He stands just on the inside of the fence,
And his head is tilted just enough that I can’t see his face.
I step toward him, and he steps toward me.
His face is dark, and I peer toward him,
Then another step.
Then another.
He stops.
“Who are you?” I shout, and my words are carried on the wind. He cocks his head but doesn’t answer, although there’s a low growl in his throat.
“What do you want?”
He’s calm, his head is down. But his arm comes up,
And he points at me.
He wants me.
I run to the house without looking back.
Chapter 25
I feel like I need to go home.
I feel it tugging at me, pulling.
I’m not safe here.
But yet, I can’t leave Dare.
I can’t leave him because he’s mine.
The Dare he shows the world is different from my Dare, the one who holds me in his arms. I feel his secrets, though, through my skin, through my bones, and that’s not something he can fake.
I ache for him to take me into his confidence, to trust me that much, but he h