"It's not though," he whispers.

She stops and thinks about that. He's right. It's not okay. "You're right. What happened to you isn't okay. You deserve to be mad and angry. At the people who hurt you. The ones who took you. And you know who else is angry at them?"

"Who?" he asks. He looks up at her as she gets closer. The tears are now falling from his face.

"Your dad and brother."

Kal sniffles. "They're mad too?"

Marie nods. "They're so mad. But you know what they're focusing on instead of their rage?"

"What?"

"You."

Mr. Teddy's eyes glow a brighter blinding red. Marie has to squint her eyes against it.

"Why me?" Kal asks. "I'm dead."

Marie's eyes widen. She drops to her knees and places her hands on his shoulders. "They know that. But just because you're dead doesn't mean you're forgotten. They think about you everyday. And do you want to know what they're doing everyday just for you?"

"What?" he asks.

Mr. Teddy goes to move towards Marie but Kal holds out a hand to stop it.

Marie eyes the teddy. "They're trying to put you to rest. That's why I'm here. I'm trying to help them."

"You're helping them?" Kal's face brightens. Mr. Teddy's eyes dim.

Marie nods. "Can you help us? I'm sure it'll make your family happy."

Kal taps his chin as if he's thinking about it. Then he jumps up and down. "I'll help! I'll help!" he exclaims.

Marie grins and sighs as Mr. Teddy's eyes stop glowing and he falls to the ground like a regular stuffed animal.

"How can I help though?" Kal asks. He stops jumping and scratches his head. "I don't have anything to help with."

"That's okay," Marie says. "I just need your advice."

His eyes seem to sparkle at the idea. "My advice? No one's ever asked for my advice!"

Marie smiles softly. "I guess there's a first time for everything."

Kal nods. "What do you want my advice on?"

Marie takes a deep breath. She really hopes that Mr. Teddy won't come back to life when she asks the questions that can help them. Help him.

"How can we put you at rest? At peace?"

He tilts his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

She hums as she tries to think of how to explain this to him. "It's like when you go to bed," she says. "That's kind of what we're trying to do."

"You're trying to put me to bed?"

She nods.

He taps his chin. "Well, I guess I'd like a song."

Maries face brightens. "A song? What kind of song."

"Roan will know. Or dad."

"But they-"

"Bye Marie!" Kal picks up Mr. Teddy and hugs him close to his chest. "I can't wait for the song so I can sleep!"

"But-" She scrambles as Kal seems to be getting further away from him even though neither of them are moving. "But what if they-"

"Marie!"

She looks up and behind her as Roan calls her name. No! No! She just needs another minute.

"They'll know!" Kal sings. He dances with Mr. Teddy. "Thank you Marie! Thank you dad! Thank you Roan! Now I can sleep!" he sings.

"But-" Marie tries once more before everything around her erupts into a blinding white light.

"But-" Marie tries once more before everything around her erupts into a blinding white light

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Chapter WC: 1,093

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