Page 157 of Silent Shadows

“Can you lower your volume to something less alarming?”

“No.”

“Cool.”

“Daisy, listen to me,” she says. “The board is obsessed.”

I stop walking.

“What?”

“The execs.”

My stomach drops.

“What do you mean obsessed?”

“I mean they listened to the first episode and immediately asked for the next three. And also asked if this is going to become some kind of new series where each season you find new unique characters all over the country.”

My pulse kicks hard.

“Oh.”

She laughs. “Oh my God, Daisy. This is huge.”

I lean against the side of the RV.

The metal feels cold through my sweatshirt.

Wind moves softly through the trees.

Inside, somewhere beyond the wall, Miles coughs.

The sound tethers me to reality.

“They think it feels different,” Marissa keeps going. “Authentic. Emotional. Expanding your world and bringing in new energy. Weird in the best way.”

“Weird is good?”

“Weird is great.”

She pauses dramatically.

“Also?”

I already hate this.

“There are sponsor conversations.”

I close my eyes.

“Oh no.”

“Oh YES.”

“Marissa.”

“No, seriously.”