Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

37 ∞ light or shadow

Day Nine ∞ Saturday evening

SOMETHING ON THE MONITOR caught Weaver's eye and he made a beeline for the headphones.

"Mom, sit down," the sister said as he closed them over his ears. She was sitting in her usual place with her back turned to the camera.

"What are they doing?" The mother was looking out the window. Weaver and Dawson couldn't see what was drawing her attention from their vantage point on top of the kitchen cupboard.

"Really, Mom!"

The mother turned to face her daughter. "Do you know what they're doing out there?"

"Danny's helping Mickmi with something."

"With what?"

"I don't know." The sister shrugged.

"She's your friend, why aren't you helping her?"

"Gosh, Mom... Why don't you just ask her?"

The mother sat down where the girl usually sat at the table, opposite her daughter. "Don't you get the feeling she's getting too involved with your brother?"

"They're just friends, Mom."

"With a picnic basket for two? You didn't think I'd notice? You're encouraging my son to get involved with her." She turned to look out the window again.

Weaver and Dawson saw the subject reverse into view as the girl pointed ahead, passed him and disappeared in the direction of the side of the house. The subject spun around to follow her.

"Don't you see what's happening?" the mother said.

"It's none of my business but I like her. I don't mind."

"Well, I mind. She's not right for my son, but I can't interfere. I don't know why but I just can't interfere..." She started massaging her forehead and temples with her elbows on the table.

"Are you okay, Mom?"

"Yes, dear... I'm okay... It's just that every time I try to think of a way of halting this... disaster-in-the-making, I get this pressure in my head... It scatters my thoughts... and all I can think of is... I can't interfere..."

The sister rose from her seat. "You sure, Mom?"

The mother waved her down. "Sit down, dear—I'm fine... What was I talking about?" She looked around, appearing somewhat confused. "Oh, eat your dinner, dear. It's getting cold."

∞

"You were either unconscious or sleeping by then, but you remember coming here and jumping off the truck. What else do you remember?" Danny watched Mickmi as she walked around, gesticulating with slow sweeps. Zorro sat between them, watching just as attentively.

"The truck was parked here. You took me inside." She looked to the house. "After a while, I heard noises – barking, growling... yelping. So I jumped out."

You're contradicting yourself. Danny's brow furrowed as he stopped himself from speaking out and breaking her train of thought.

She paused by Zorro to give him a head rub, continued past Danny to the corner of the house, pointing. "The barking came from there, and I heard other sounds..."