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"Soumhave you been in touch with any of your old friends since you’ve been back?" I asked, trying to reh school Together, they’d been a sort of nerdy Three Musketeers "Steve Geddes, or Ben, um?"

"Lewis," Lee said shortly "Ben Lewis He’s in Afghanistan"

"He is?" I blinked "In the army?"

"Well, he’s not there on his honeyet sarcastic," I said "I’ed "I don’t knohy you would"

"It’s a suess that means you’re still in touch with him?"

"Yeah" His voice softened "The character Dan Stanton in my first-person shooter was named after a buddy of his Kind of a tribute Ben’s the one who suggested it, even told ht it was hilarious"

"This is a buddy whodidn’t ht about that for a h school Everyone called hiine him in a war zone "I’m sorry"

"You didn’t know"

"How about Steve?" I couldn’t re about Steve other than his name, which was sort of ironic; he’d been the kind of kid who made so little impression, he didn’t even have a nickna what?" I asked

"Set design" Lee regarded the toes of his Converse sneakers "It was his e to realize that two people I’d grown up with, however little I’d actually known them, had left Pemkowet to make such diverse lives for themselves elsewhere Three, if you counted Lee I wondered what had prompted hiy pulled into the alley besidepatiently while Lee and I careetedhis left hand A spear-headed rune gliuards "Your request for an audience has been granted" Rivulets of meltwater dripped froiant, eight feet tall with pale blue frost-rimed skin and eyes the color of dirty slush

Well, unless you happened to be e, hairy guy eating profusely

"Who the hell is that?" Lee asked, the words e in a squeak

"Hi, Mikill" I raisediant"

Lee glared atbetween us evaporated "Oh, very funny Ha ha, you got me"

"Look, I realize he doesn’t appearMikill, can you drop your glaiant shook his ponderous head, sending droplets of water flying "It is of Hel’s doing, Daisy Johanssen, that her servants round at need If it is your wish that the mortal accoed "You’re just going to have to trust me on this one, Lee"

Lee backed away "No Oh, hell, no! What were you going to do?" he asked griht and let me walk home? Hell, don’t tell ot so to be the Tall Man’s ghost?"

"Lee--"

"I’h shit like that in high school--"

"Lee!" I raised ly, he actually shut up "Look, I know you’ve got high school dae, okay? Everyone does You’ve h-waisted floods your ht for you anymore You went away and made a ton of money and came backWhy the hell did you come back, anyway?"

"My mom’s not well," he said in a quieter tone "Someone had to look after her"

"Okay, well, I’m sorry to hear it But I’ you to help et that you think this project is beneath you, but it’s i some stupid prank just because you’ve been kind of a dick about it"<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>