I shrug.Accidents happen.
After detaching the hammock and laying it on the ground, I move Jeff’s legs, then his head onto the cloth. I’m about to roll him up in it when a small voice catches my attention.
“Who are you?” A small girl with her pigtails in braids, a striped tank top, brightly colored shorts and flip-flops stands before me.
I still.Great. How am I going to get out of this one?
“Hey . . . Casey, right?”
She nods.
“That’s a pretty doll you have there.”
It’s not. In fact, it’s probably the creepiest looking thing I’ve ever seen—and I’ve seen a lot. It’s seen better days with its matted hair and what looks like dirt or chocolate on her face.
“What’s your name?”
She’s too smart. My attempt to deflect and redirect her attention to something else failed miserably.
“My name? It’s Caleb.”
“Are you a bad guy?”
Her question calls for a simple answer. Are you a bad guy, yes, or no? Unfortunately, explaining that doesn’t seem so black and white anymore. Considering what I’m doing, I’d say things are looking rather...gray. Definitely a shade darker than usual, but that answer wouldn’t serve my purpose. So instead, I say, “No. I’m a friend of Jay’s.”
Casey beams, balling her fists as she bounces on her feet. In all the excitement, she drops her doll. “Is Jay here?”
“No, she’s not here.”
“Oh.” Casey’s smile falls. She gets a second wind of curiosity once more. “Why is Daddy on the ground? Is he sleeping?”
I turn my attention back to Jeff and cringe. After being knocked out, dragged through the dirt,accidentallyhitting his head on a rock, he doesn’t look so good. His tongue hanging outside of his mouth doesn’t help him appear less dead.
“Um . . . yes. Daddy’s sleeping.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s tired.”
“Why?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and think to myself,Probably because he’s having to answer your questions every two seconds.
“Because Daddy is old.”
Because her daddy is old?my wolf judges.
I don’t know. It’s the best I could think of.
“What are you doing to him?”
“Um . . . We’re playing a game.”
“A game?”
“Y–yeah.”
Casey tilts her head. “What kind of game?”
