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The Wrath of John

The house filled with the bizarre but crystal clear strains of "Fools Rush In," Sinatra’s version, if I wasn’t mistaken It fit Kilmer’s air of yesteryear perfectly

I didn’t call, "Come in" to whoever--or whatever--waited for us outside A knock sounded at the door, and I went to investigate The guys fell in behind me as I peered around the chain like Miz Ruth

Shannon fro nervous She wore a black hoodie and a plaid otten here, and then I saw the bike leaning up against the side of the porch

"Can I coht be a trick I studied her for a few seconds and then glanced at Jesse, who murmured, "She’s scared"

"Sure" I unchained the door and stepped back

It was a testament to her abstraction that she paid al ister on her hot scale She rubbed her hands on her thighs and then shook hands This time, I watched for the spark, and as when she’d touched reeted Jesse--not Chance

That confirmed it Chance wasn’t like Jesse, orabout his paternity, it had left hiister as human I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but it didn’tto confide his secrets inwith hiain

"Let’s sit down," Chance said He’d apparently put aside his feelings aboutfrom him what happened in the woods earlier, at least for the ti

"How’d you find us?" I asked as we arranged ourselves

I wound up on the love seat next to Shannon, who shrugged The guys sat down at opposite ends of the sofa

"Everybody knows everything that happens in town," she said "I asked around and found out you rented this place"

I didn’t knoe should continue with the questions; teenagers tended not to respond well to thelance, I took a survey Chance didn’t even htly Okay, so we’d let her spit it out in ti to drink? I could make some tea"

Nobody looked enthusiastic, so I didn’t bother Thunder ruround made this seem like a scene from an old movie

Shannon hunched forward, elbows on her knees She was so thin and aard that she rese, down to the blue tips of her hair I hoped I had the patience not to scare her off

"I heard about you," she finally mumbled "People still talk, you know About hoeird you were But you got away" She looked up, china blue eyes matted with old mascara and too-thick kohl "That’s what I want I know you’re not going to stay forever You came for a reason, and when you’re done here, you’ll leave" After drawing a deep breath, she finished in a rush: "I want you to take me with you"

Jesse looked worried "How old are you?"

"Eighteen," she said, defiant "I just had a birthday"

"You’re still in school," Chance pointed out

She shrugged "I have to get out of here I can get a GED anywhere"

That h school, thinking that would help enuine urgency

"Why do you have to leave, Shannon?" I figured she’d tell et a barbwire tattoo around her right biceps

Her face paled even further, going al to happen," she whispered "I’ve been digging around, and so bad always happens on Deceet away on my own I don’t have a car or money--" Her voice stressed and broke; her hands hite-knuckled in her lap

Anyone else probably would have dismissed her fear, but I’d lived in this town, and I needed to knohat she knew Though I didn’t touch peoplea rebuff She quieted instead, as if I soth

"It’s okay," Jesse said "We’re not going to let anybody hurt you"

Her blue eyes looked big and guileless in her narrow face She had him now; he was a sucker for a da, she’d go with Jesse in his Forester e left He wouldn’t leave her I’d never ht complex

"Why don’t you tell us the whole story, Shannon?" Chance used his warirl next to h to settle against the back of the love seat, no longer sitting as if she ht need to run at any an

Well, that sounded familiar I didn’t interrupt; I already knew she was Gifted I wanted to knohy the town thought she was crazy We all sat quiet, offering our most attentive expressions

"I was around thirteen when it started" She refused to look at any of us, staring fiercely at a worn spot on the floor "I started reading sad poetry I guess that’s pretty coed "Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton"