The Grove

September 14 Part 1

Oliver

DAWN'S SILVER LIGHT STREAMED INTO THE CABIN THROUGH THE EAST WINDOW AND LANDED ON OLIVER'S FACE. He ached to his fingernails, but he forced his eyes open and checked his phone. No news. Outside, mist filled the Grove, giving an impression of melancholy, but the clouds were just thin enough to let the light pass through. Beside him, Dayla still slept, twitching in a fitful dream.

Yellow pus and blood soaked her bandage and stained her pillowcase. Though he knew she wouldn't stay in bed long, perhaps another hour of sleep would help. If the infection got worse, he would take her to see Mitch. As a teenager, Mitch used to think it was funny when Dayla lost control of her magic. As an adult, he refused to believe, so Oliver would tell him that she over-exhausted herself without explanation, easy enough with the search.

Too tired to squint at the small screen of his phone, Oliver turned the television to the morning news. As he expected, the top local headline was Sitka Quay's Police Search For Missing Child.

Behind the dark-haired male newscaster explaining the Amber Alert System was a large picture of Katie Yannick in a pink jacket and a bright smile. A shapely blonde newscaster spoke as the station played and replayed the same two clips—the front of the Yannick house, with its chipped blue paint and chain-link fence, and Katie's empty sandbox, strewn with toys. Intermittently, the video cut to the search party from the night before. Another male newscaster, wearing a yellow raincoat and a faux-concerned expression, milked Erik for information with the standard set of questions. The camera cut to Anez sobbing in the picnic shelter.

Pinching his lips together, Oliver turned off the television and called Jonah.

"Yeah?" a tired voice answered.

Through the phone, Oliver heard Samantha.

"You still running the show today?" he asked.

"With Sergeant Wang's permission, I guess."

"Where are we meeting?"

"I don't know. Can I call you back?"

"Yeah, I'm going to make some espresso and feed the cat." Oliver reached to the floor and pulled on dirty hiking pants. Damp fabric touched his skin and he stepping out of them again to grab a pair of wool long johns for extra warmth. He would shower at home—with his raindrop showerhead—and leave the cabin's small water heater full, so Dayla might rest in a hot bath.

"I hate to ask, but does your offer for good coffee still stand?" Jonah asked.

"Sure, what do you want?" he asked, yanking the tight wool over his legs.

"Quad shot latte? And Sammy said her usual."

As he left the cabin, he could barely see ten feet in front of him. To the north, Sitka's Quay's streetlights blurred in the condensing mist. To the south, the world disappeared. Nothing to assume the day would be any better than the day before. It was likely to be much worse.

Jonah

"OLIVER'S MAKING US COFFEE."

Jonah rolled over and put his arm around Samantha's soft warm back. "Think you can seduce him to our side when he drops it off?"

"How much time do I have?" she said.

Jonah scanned for horror stuck in her heart, but saw a new conviction in her eyes. He had been successful in breaking her moral compass. He had to be careful to keep his secret, but otherwise Samantha was still loyal to him and his cause.