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TWO AND A half hours later, the truck and cars were loaded doere only a dozenawayto Deacon, as sitting in er seat

We could have easily put the last couple boxes in er seat, but Graham had loaded them in his truck instead, and claimed that he didn’t have any room for Deacon Before Deacon could understand the depth of his words, Grahah trailed behind

Even though Deacon had been around Keith er and Grey had finally convinced Deacon to get into my car and we had left, he’d spent the first thirtyto look quickly into the backseat to h he was asleep that entire tiotten into a debate about sharks and bears, and which would , because they like honey and Keith thought he liked honey too And ever since the conversation had started, I hadn’t gotten the two to shut up

Not that I’d tried It kept Deacon’s glare from me and took away the uncos land on you, they take your supapowers away"

"What?" Deacon asked loudly, and from the corner of my eye I saw his face drop from where he was turned in his seat to look atto take my superpowers away? I won’t let them They can’t I have a protective shield"

"They dun care," Keith responded "They get frew it"

"But they’re lanced into the rearview , and with a tone that said this disturbing neeighed heavily on his three-and-a-half-year-old self, said, "I dun h burst from my chest before I was able to slap my hand over s," Deacon said seriously, but when I glanced at hi up his face abruptly disappeared

I looked back at the road and tried to push back the sick feeling twisting throughthat hadn’t left since he’d sat next to ain to face Keith, and jerked back "Hey, kid Kid," he called again when he didn’t get a response, prolance at Keith

"He’s asleep," I "

It took a few lanced at hihtness in ive hiaveabout cars He always falls asleep as soon as we start driving, and sleeps throughout the drive and for a few h most of it, but I think he wanted to talk to you, so he tried to stay awake once he woke up"

"Huh" There was a brief pause before Deacon said softly, "This kidhe’s actually really funny Is he always like this?"

I couldn’t contain my next smile "For the most part He just talks about the ain

Cold Unforgiving

Confusing

He’d never treated me like this before, and I didn’t knohat had happened toas we hardly ever spoke to each other, even ere in the same room