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"I said yes My capacity for coood"
He wasn’t sure if she was trying to lighten up or if she was speaking seriously
He leaned back again "Okay, so tell me what happened with you"
"With me?"
"The day Marcus was killed"
"I’d had a few sessions and I’d just finished up with the last one when I heard a co when Sa to the Horse Far was devoted to hi with Marcus"
"You didn’t let Sa was exhausted He’d lost too much blood Physically, it would’ve been impossible for him to search We did call the police, and two officers came out to help us look" She was quiet for a"I--I’ve never blacked out in my life before, butafter I found Marcus, I blacked out When I ca notes and"
"And?"
"And then Marcus’s body was taken away"
"Why did you black out?"
She pursed her lips "You’re frorowing up, I came out to the country plenty of times Every school kid’s done soyou name it" She was still quiet
He seneral," he said
She sat straighter "You know, then--you know about General Rufus Cunningharinned "Okay, not everyone, but ed to a Civil War roundtable You know--groups of men who may or may not do reenactments, but who are fascinated by the history of the Civil War They love to argue strategy Which side did the right thing when, what could have changed the tide of battle I’ve been to a few They’re especially interesting here in Tennessee, because this state was so divided Tennessee seceded from the Union, but the Union held Nashville early in the war, beginning in 1862 Pitched battles went on around Nashville, but the Confederates never regained the city When they’re all arguing policy and strategy at the roundtables, they occasionally agree on one thing Like the fact that General Rufus Cunningha and commendable man He was out to win back the city, but he was also a hue, the wounded were helped, no matter what the color of their uniform He’d take personal and physical risk when necessary"
She nodded "It always seeedy" She paused again "Have you ever seen him?"
"Yes"
"You have?" She asked the question very carefully
He nodded "I was about sixteen We were at the old Brentwood Cae corporation and is due for a round It’s only a few h Horse Far that ca trip I was restless Didn’t want to wake the other kid inby the strea watch He had a foot up on a rock He was leaning on his knee with one arm and he held his horse’s reins in the other hand He looked at me I looked back at him He tipped his hat, and I waved"
"Did he disappear? Fade into the night?"
"No, he stayed there"
"So--then what?"
"I waved again and went back to bed"
"You weren’t frightened?"
"No Are you still frightened when you see the dead?"
"Actually, I haven’t seen that haham, or at least a lot of people believe they’ve seen hiht He’s been around since the American Revolution, but he’s I don’t know That was easy Malachi was there and Malachi and I are the only two in the family, as far as we knohotalk to the dead"
"I don’t think anyone would need to be afraid of General Cunningha I think he stays around to try and prevent it," Dustin said
"Yeah Maybe And I’htened of Marcus Danby?"
"It was the way it all happened," Olivia explained "First, I found Marcus down in the ravine Then, I saw General Cunningha I kneith the body of Marcus Danby when the spirit of Marcus Danby tapped htened? Stunned? Both But I’m not afraid of Marcus He’s soreal"
"Well, in a way, he is real He’s just not flesh-and-blood real," Dustin said
"Strange dileestured with one hand "Anyway, I’ Marcus, and Marcus was behind me at the same time, I passed out cold Just like I told you When I caeneral’s"