Page 110 of Bound in Ashes

Knew that to him it was.

I turned and walked away, my steps steady, my hands shaking.

“Miles, grab a shovel, and let’s clean this up,” Jack said.

I didn’t dare look back.

NINETEEN

Asia

I kept walking not knowing where I was going but not surprised at where I ended up.

“You sleeping, Uncle Levi?” I asked as I knocked on his door.

“Naw, come on in,” he said.

I cracked the door and the hot stench of sickness almost made me step back.

But I swallowed back the nausea and the tears and walked into the room.

“You get some rest?” I asked as I went to his dresser and grabbed a clean rag. I wet it and went to Uncle Levi’s bedside.

“Little bit. But I’ll be out in a few minutes,” he said.

“Don’t worry. We have everything under control,” I lied as I wiped his forehead, and pretended not to feel the heat radiating off his skin or notice the rings of sweat darkening his dingy T-shirt.

“Didn’t sound like it,” he said.

My hand froze in midair, and I met Uncle Levi’s eyes.

“There was…some ugliness. Jack handled it.” I looked away and wiped his forehead again.

He harrumphed. “Sounded real ugly,” he said. “What happened?”

“I—Jack—He⁠—”

Uncle Levi let out a humorless laugh that shifted to a cough. I handed him a glass of water and kept my hold on it even as Uncle Levi lifted it to his lips.

“You develop a stutter, girl?” he asked.

“Travis was stealing food. Jack killed him,” I said, watching Uncle Levi for a reaction.

“Hmm,” was all he said.

“That’s it?” I said.

“What do you want me to say? You want me to condemn him? Be disgusted? You want me to give you permission?”

“What if I do?” I asked.

Uncle Levi laughed, the sound dry, raspy, but still, somehow, him. “Then too bad.” He locked his eyes on mine. “I never told you this, but you scared me when I met you.”

My eyes bugged out as I stared at him. “Me? I was a dumb kid with sticky fingers and a terrible attitude.”

“Yeah, but you were also brilliant, insightful, capable of anything,” he said.

“Well thank you, but what was scary about that?” I asked.