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Daemon waited on the porch, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans He had been gazing into the distance but pivoted around the moment I pushed open the door

He brushed past me and into the hallway The scent of him, a mixture of the outdoors and sandalwood, followed It was a heady aroma, all completely his

"You look nice today," he coray hoodie and tucked a tangled strand of hair behind my ear "Uh, thanks" I clearedti out for you," so I wasn’t expecting anything different today "I just wanted to see you"

"Oh" Well, hell…

He chuckled deeply "I thought we could take a walk It’s nice outside"

Glancing back atI should be doing It just encouraged his…not-so-bad behavior

"I’ll behave myself," he said "I promise"

I laughed at that "All right, let’s go"

It was brisk outside, nowhere near as cold as it would beco toward the woods, he steeredto take a walk?"

"Outdoors," he said dryly

"Well, I think I figured that part out"

"You ask a lot of questions, you know"

"I’ve been told I’m very inquisitive"

He leaned forward and whispered, "I think I figured that part out"

I ued I cli about Simon?" I asked after he’d backed out of the driveway "I haven’t"

"I haven’t either"

An array of golden, red, and brown leaves blurred as Dae to do with his disappearance?"

Daemon shook his head "I don’t think so I haven’t seen any, but we can’t be too sure"

An Aru Simon wouldn’t make any sense, but kids around here didn’t disappear without it having solanced out theat the fa to realize where ere going Confused, I watched Dae the entrance to the field the kids partied in

The sa out Dead leaves of various colors littered the ground With each step, h the leaves For a while, the only sound we heard was the rustling of our feet wading through the colorful sea of leaves

"This place ht and from Baruck’s death" He stepped around a fallen tree limb "Watch out, the branches are scattered everywhere"

I ht sound messed up, but I’ve wanted to come back here I don’t knohy Crazy, huh?"

"No," he said quietly "It ?"

"It’s what’s left over" Daemon bent and pushed another fallen li If the DOD has been out here to check it out, it ood to be in the know"

We walked the rest of the way in silence I was following slightly behind hi in round was covered in leaves but the trees were still bent, looking even round I stopped at the edge and tried to find the spot where Baruck had last stood

I pushed the dead foliage with round came into view The soil seeht and refused to let go of the round will never heal," Daemon said softly from behindwill grow fro back the leaves until the area was uncovered co at first used to bother round What little sun that peeked through the clouds caught the auburn tint in his dark hair

Dae a life I still don’t A life is a life"

"It’s soe it It only wreaks havoc on you to dwell It bothersthat I’ve killed…two of the for what you did Never think that" His eyes met mine for a second, and he cleared his throat "I don’t feel anything"

I shovedthe?"